Is McQuaid reopening the door of doping for the big fishes?



poulidor

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Jul 31, 2006
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By stating this:
McQuaid: "A great message"

The UCI President Pat McQuaid gave an update on the deployment of the biological passport and advanced anti-doping. Resolutely optimistic, he believes that the positive tests in 2008 have send "a wonderful message" to cheaters.

Pat McQuaid, when will you take the first sanctions on the basis of the biological passport?

P. M.: It is a matter of days or weeks. I know I already said that in December and January but it is difficult to say exactly when this will happen because there are many parameters involved that must be understood with that new type of sanctions. For the first time, doping will be sanctioned indirectly, on the basis of abnormal biological profiles and positive controls. According to our anti-doping experts and legal advisers, we are close to making the decision to penalize riders.

How?

P. M.: "When I say riders is small. But I do not know if it's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 and I do not know before that our experts say that we are ready to announce. Be sure to more than 99.99% abnormality that is linked to doping, and not a disease for example, to take a penalty. And it must be able to defend legally. The biological passport is the future of anti-doping. It will allow cycling to regain its credibility, which has suffered in recent years. "

You are therefore optimistic about the future ...

P. M.: I think that 2009 will be a good year for cycling, I do not think there will be big scandals involving major riders as in recent years. Controls positive for EPO Cera this summer in the Tour de France has been a wonderful message to the world of sport: no one can believe someone who told him that a product is undetectable. These last 4-5 years, there has been a cultural change in the pack on how to understand the doping. This is a good sign.

Is there a place for anti-doping programs independent teams?

P. M.: I do not think they have need. They might want to make sure everything is in order but they spend a lot of money for it while it is not necessary. The decision to Bjarne Riis (sporting director Saxo Bank) to stop paying for this type of system is good. With the biological passport, which the teams have invested heavily, it is most needed, the best riders in the world are the same. And a large majority of them own, perhaps more than in other sports. The UCI must remain the authority that controls and regulates anti-doping.

The French Agency for the fight against doping does not seem to agree with the UCI about working at the next Tour de France ...

P. M.: We will work together, I do not worry. Anti-doping on the Tour will be the domain of the UCI race as it is a new world calendar and we will work with the AFLD, as we have done for years. We currently seek an agreement.