Here we go again... another scandal on TDF

[velogirl]

I'm wondering....Is it possible at all that TEST B could be tampered with??

Okay, so I've never been drug tested, but I managed a pro team last season in the US. We were lucky enough to win the doping lottery a few times during the season. You see, in the US, not only are the winners tested, but there are a number of random tests as well (ie picking a number out of a hat).

Because most of our racers are new to the pro scene, I accompanied them to the testing trailer. Here's what happens:

You sit outside in the sun in your wet shorts (after just racing in the sun), and the USADA folks give you gatorade until you can finally pee. Sometimes this takes hours. I think it might be faster if they gave you coffee or beer, but apparently that would skew the ph (see below).

Once you're good to go, you go inside the trailer with a USADA rep and the rep. explains the procedure to you. The rep. gives you some literature about USADA and you sign an acknowledgement. You pick a box from a handful of identical boxes sitting on the table. You then open the box yourself and inside are two glass cups (sealed) and a test strip. The rep. never touches the box or the cups or the test strip.

Then, you and the rep. go into the bathroom and she watches you pee into both cups. Imagine if you get a bit of performance anxiety -- this can be a long process. After you pee in the cups, you seal them again and the rep. gives you a label to put on them (with information about you, the race, the date, etc).

Then, you go sit at the table again and the rep. asks you to open the cups and administer the test strip to see if the samples will be valid (has to do with the ph level or something). Anyways, you seal the cups (sample A and sample B), put them back in the box, the box gets sealed and then you finally get to go home.

So, it would appear, on the surface, that there's very little margin for error in this process, at least from a collection pov. However, I have no idea what happens during the testing/analysis phase.

And, the crazy thing about the T/E test that was in question for Floyd is that there apparently are HUGE concerns about whether or not this test is even valid.

BTW, I'm sure there's lots of info on the WADA and USADA websites where you can learn more.

[Bron]

You sit outside in the sun in your wet shorts (after just racing in the sun), and the USADA folks give you gatorade until you can finally pee. Sometimes this takes hours. I think it might be faster if they gave you coffee or beer, but apparently that would skew the ph (see below).

In lots of sports alcohol is a banned substance so drinking beer would not be such a great plan. Steve Redgrave (Olympic rower) describes being given beer to drink during a dope test in his biography. By the time he actually needed to pee he was so drunk that he was falling all over the place and had to be sent to bed!

Bron

[velogirl]

Oh, and I forgot. You also have to fill out a butt-load of paperwork about your health and meds. I always had my racers bring a specific list of all their meds (including vitamins and herbals) along with doses and when they took them and I kept a copy as well. Post-race, when you're fatigued and can't think straight, it's hard to remember all this information on the top of your head. If you use a banned substance you can get a therapeutic exemption. However, you need to know what you're putting in your body. It's too late, after the results come back, to say "oh yeah, I was using a steroid inhaler."

[Denise223]

Velogirl:

Thanks for all of the information!

Originally posted by velogirlAnd, the crazy thing about the T/E test that was in question for Floyd is that there apparently are HUGE concerns about whether or not this test is even valid.

I know, that's what I can't understand !

I am looking forward to seeing Floyd on Jay Leno tonight -- he was scheduled to appear as of this past Tuesday.

Have a great day!

Denise

[maillotpois]

This is a good report:

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=4223

[Flatlander]

Is anyone besides me bothered by the argument that "they all do it, so he's guilty"...?

It seems to me that besides a presumption of guilt before all the evidence is in, it is impossible to mount a defense against a blanket, sweeping statement like this. If you believe this, then no amount of "proving a negative" will change your mind. Seems a little unfair to me...

Where, exactly, is the *proof* that they all do it? I think it is one thing to suspect that there is a lot of doping in cycling--some has even been demonstrated. However, I could just as easily say that all Texans are arrogant (I'm a Texan, so that's why I'm using this example )...Just saying it isn't actual "proof" of anything except someone's opinion and suspicions--no amount of evidence to the contrary would change that person's mind...

IMHO.

[Running Mommy]

Ok, am i the only one who wants to smack Lemond upside the head??!!
It seems that since he retired everyone has turned into a doper??!!
UGH!
he just irritates the poop out of me!!