Quote Originally Posted by TxDoc View Post
Well, yes and no... yes the initial tests are accurate at spotting any abnormal value; no they do not give a definite answer to whether an illicit product was administered to the rider.
In other words, with the new regulations every abnormal test result is considered 'doping' until proven otherwise. It is a presumptive diagnosis. After an abnormal result a rider is considered positive, and additional tests have to be done to discern between an abnormal result due to the assumption of a banned product - or an abnormal result due to other concomitant medical conditions or natural causes. But as per the new rules, the rider is considered positive for doping and expelled from the race(s) until new evidence is collected.
So in a way you are considered guilty until proven otherwise. It is the only way to make sure that anything suspect gets caught in the net. And that is why in most pro races they collect baseline values before the start now: it is sort of an insurance for both the organizers and the racers (and their teams), so that they can run comparisons when they identify a suspect case.
Laboratory medicine unfortunately is not perfect, they do the best they can do to ensure a honest and clean Tour - hopefully the more strict regulations will help without making unnecessary victims.
In my opinion, I would rather see a 'non-doper' that has to go through further testing to be cleared - than have too many 'dopers' falling through the cracks without getting caught. It is the only way to make pro cycling a clean sport.
As the Landis incident showed, the doping agencies' laboratory procedures are fatally flawed and scientifically unreliable... but it doesn't matter. Because as soon as you have an abnormal result, the lab tech picks up the phone and calls the reporter at l'Equipe, and the news is on the wires. It's not evidence that would stand up in a court of law, and in fact the process is completely contrary to the club rules that provide for anonymous testing, quality control testing, and the whole thing about A and B samples; but these cases aren't tried in courts of law. WADA, the UCI, and l'Equipe ensure that they are tried first in the court of public and media attention, and if it does go to a third party, it goes to arbitration, not a trial subject to criminal procedures.

Is it fair? No. But then, it's showing itself to be pretty effective in finding and weeding out the dopers.