Dope tests?

[Merovingian]

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?

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

"Merovingian" > wrote in message
om...

> How often do riders get dope tested?

Some riders never get dope tested. I have never been dope tested.

JT

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[Sam]

"Merovingian" > wrote in message
om...
> 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

[Mike Murray]

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]

"Tom Kunich" > wrote in message k.net>...
> "Merovingian" > wrote in message
> om...
> > 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.
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Awesome, thanx guys! I was just really curious about that and you
guys answered perfectly! Thanx again!