Dope tests?
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I replied to one of TimBenz's posts with this question, but I think I can get a reply faster if I
just post this out right.
How often do riders get dope tested? I know, if I were Lance, after all the problems of people
accusing him of being doped in the past, I would get tested like ever day of the TDF. Does anyone
have any good reference on how often riders, Lance and others, get tested? If they aren't required
to be tested, then why doesn't the USCF (or whoever) require this to once and for all put an end to
the controversy?
"Merovingian" <steven@thegreenmatrix.com> wrote in message
news:fe79c9eb.0308021752.137ddaa0@posting.google.com...
> How often do riders get dope tested?
Some riders never get dope tested. I have never been dope tested.
JT
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"Merovingian" <steven@thegreenmatrix.com> wrote in message
news:fe79c9eb.0308021752.137ddaa0@posting.google.com...
> I replied to one of TimBenz's posts with this question, but I think I can get a reply faster if I
> just post this out right.
>
> How often do riders get dope tested? I know, if I were Lance, after all the problems of people
> accusing him of being doped in the past, I would get tested like ever day of the TDF.
The top 3 on the stage and the GC get tested each day. There used to be on random on top of that but
they test a lot more "at random". The quantity of the random tested is also "random" but at least
one per stage or race.
>Does anyone have any good reference on how often riders, Lance and others, get tested? If they
>aren't required to be tested, then why doesn't the USCF (or whoever) require this to once and for
>all put an end to the controversy?
It has not ended the controversy because...
I am too tired to write anything really thorough. Do a Google search on EPO testing and I am sure
you will find a good explanation of the controversy.
"Merovingian" <steven@thegreenmatrix.com> wrote in message
news:fe79c9eb.0308021752.137ddaa0@posting.google.com...
> I replied to one of TimBenz's posts with this question, but I think I can get a reply faster if I
> just post this out right.
>
> How often do riders get dope tested? I know, if I were Lance, after all the problems of people
> accusing him of being doped in the past, I would get tested like ever day of the TDF. Does anyone
> have any good reference on how often riders, Lance and others, get tested? If they aren't required
> to be tested, then why doesn't the USCF (or whoever) require this to once and for all put an end
> to the controversy?
Cyclists can be tested for doping control by WADA or USADA (in the US or US athletes). There
are unannounced out of competition tests (OOC) and in competition testing. I will stick with
US athletes here when discussing testing. For OOC, the athletes are randomly chosen from a
pool of athletes in that sport who are designated as being the top athletes in their sports.
Each National Governing Body (NGB) sets criteria for inclusion (Top X in World Cup points,
national team members, etc). USADA can also add people to the list. The NGB can also name
people who might not fit the criteria if they so choose (like people who are injured but
likely to be on an Olympic Team or at least have a legit shot). USADA weights each sport so
that sports with a history of doping or sports that could be improved by doping get more tests
assigned to it. For instance track and field gets more tests than table tennis (not to mention
that there are more events in T&F).
For in competition testing, the top X finishers and a few random athletes will be chosen. The winner
at an event selected for testing will always be selected. How deep the testing goes depends on
numerous factors like: Do those positions qualify for worlds or Olympics? I have not heard of a
second place not getting tested at a competition where qualifying for further competition is at
stake since the 2nd place person will often be an alternate. (At the Olympics the top 4 are tested
plus randoms).
As for some cyclists never getting tested, well if you are not a pro or competinng in "elite"
competition, you are right, your odds of getting tested by USADA are non-existent. The US riders who
have been tested in Brazil and other places were testing under other auspices.
Also, all US athletes competing in the Pan Am's or Olympics must be tested within the 120 days
leading up to the Games.
Athletes can be tested by WADA or USADA. In fact, there have been situations where an athlete gets
tested by WADA on a Tuesday and then USADA on a Wednesday (the two organizations do not communicate
or coordinate OOC testing very well if at all). Interestingly, I know a case where the same athlete
was tested by the same person on successive days for WADA and USADA (the doping control officers are
independent contractors that are hired and they often hire the same people).
That is a simplified version. For more (although i am not sure how much is there):
www.usantidoping.org
One of the major reason that there is not more drug testing is because it is very expensive to do.
At one point one of the team that I was riding for wanted me, as team physician, to order drug
testing for the team members to address this question. Initially I thought that it might be possible
to just get a "IOC panel" done commercially. Turns out that this is not commercially available. It
is possible to screen for specific drugs, but the cost is often around $100/drug. I think that if it
was possible for private entities, like teams, to test for banned substances with commercially
available tests and reasonably priced tests then many might do that.
There is also a secondary cost involved with the potential legal liability for improperly done
tests, etc. There is also the issue of drugs which are not testable.
Employers test for illegal drug use but they generally only screen for a limited number of illegal
substances. Usually only THC (pot), cocaine, amphetamines and narcotics. Interestingly this misses
alcohol, which is responsible for most of workplace impairment but does a good job of picking up
non-work related "recreational" drug use.
--
Mike Murray MD
"Merovingian" <steven@thegreenmatrix.com> wrote in message
news:fe79c9eb.0308021752.137ddaa0@posting.google.com...
> I replied to one of TimBenz's posts with this question, but I think
I
> can get a reply faster if I just post this out right.
>
> How often do riders get dope tested? I know, if I were Lance, after all the problems of people
> accusing him of being doped in the past,
I
> would get tested like ever day of the TDF. Does anyone have any
good
> reference on how often riders, Lance and others, get tested? If
they
> aren't required to be tested, then why doesn't the USCF (or whoever) require this to once and for
> all put an end to the controversy?
The podium is tested every time. All of the jersey holders are tested. All of the riders that
enter are tested at least once before the race and once during the race. There are tests at random
every day.
Lafferty aside, no one with half a brain should believe that there is the level of doping that some
people think.
"Tom Kunich" <tkunich@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:<sMdXa.32332$Mc.2571823@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>...
> "Merovingian" <steven@thegreenmatrix.com> wrote in message
> news:fe79c9eb.0308021752.137ddaa0@posting.google.com...
> > I replied to one of TimBenz's posts with this question, but I think
> I
> > can get a reply faster if I just post this out right.
> >
> > How often do riders get dope tested? I know, if I were Lance, after all the problems of people
> > accusing him of being doped in the past,
> I
> > would get tested like ever day of the TDF. Does anyone have any
> good
> > reference on how often riders, Lance and others, get tested? If
> they
> > aren't required to be tested, then why doesn't the USCF (or whoever) require this to once and
> > for all put an end to the controversy?
>
> The podium is tested every time. All of the jersey holders are tested. All of the riders that
> enter are tested at least once before the race and once during the race. There are tests at random
> every day.
>
> Lafferty aside, no one with half a brain should believe that there is the level of doping that
> some people think.
____________________________________________________
Awesome, thanx guys! I was just really curious about that and you guys answered perfectly!
Thanx again!
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