"Merovingian" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said: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
