British Veterans' "Xenon Climb" of Everest Triggers Doping Concerns

(MENAFN) A team of four British Army veterans has embarked on an ambitious mission to conquer Mount Everest and return to London within a week, according to an Explorerweb report. The group, dubbed the "xenon climbers," is employing xenon gas therapy in hopes of accelerating their acclimatization to the extreme altitude.

The team includes Alastair Carns, a Member of Parliament and Minister for Veterans and People at the Ministry of Defence, alongside Garth Miller, Anthony Stazicker, and Kev Godlington. Their strategy deviates sharply from conventional acclimatization, which typically involves gradual ascents to lower peaks or multiple rotations on the mountain. Instead, they plan to fly directly to Kathmandu, take a helicopter to Everest Base Camp, and immediately begin their summit push.

This unconventional approach, particularly the use of xenon gas, has ignited controversy within the mountaineering community. The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) has voiced its apprehension, citing a lack of solid evidence supporting the effectiveness of xenon at high altitudes and raising concerns about potential health risks, including brain and respiratory complications.

Adding to the debate, xenon is currently on the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) list of prohibited substances due to its recognized performance-enhancing properties.

However, Lukas Furtenbach, an Austrian mountaineer whose company, Lukas Adventures, is leading the expedition, defended the use of xenon gas. He argued that it is simply another tool to facilitate a safe and rapid ascent, drawing parallels to specialized climbing equipment or supplemental oxygen.

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