On Sun, 27 May 2007 19:53:04 GMT, "Caroline"
wrote:

For all of these drugs there are easy blood tests to show whether they are
in balance, or "within normal limits." Soooo.... Wouldn't it be so much
easier simply to collect pre-race blood samples from all the athletes and
have them analyzed for whatever may be outside normal limits? Simply
announce that if your blood does not meet "race standards" you will be
disqualified. Period. Then who cares if people take EPOs? If they take
enough to give them an unfair edge, they're out of the game!

For all of the drugs? Some of the tests take three days if the lab is
ready for them. Most take several hours at a minimum because the
machinery necessary to make all testing equal has to be set up first
(single assay testing in lots of over 100 isn't a great way to prep
for the later legal battles), followed by the actual testing. You'd
still be disqualifying people hours and days after the day's racing.

FWIW, it still won't be cheap - some test kits - if you do all the
drugs - will cost you in the hundreds for the kit alone, if done in
batches. That will be for one drug in some cases, per person...

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...