They’re reporting on Dutch TV that the French anti-doping labs have developed a new system that detects the previously undetectable third generation of EPO. If so, expect more riders to get caught in the days ahead.
(Completely rumor/secondhand) source
Update:
This is shaping up to be very interesting. According to this interview (with a guy who works for the Bio Passport program), there’s no WADA approved test for the synthetic EPOs, but that’s what they’re catching.
So
- How are these tests going to hold up to challenges?
- Is this all because the UCI’s not involved, and the French are taking the problem more seriously?
- They say they can tell when someone’s using these next-gen EPOs, but they haven’t told us? Litigation be damned, I want a list of who’s on what.
- I guess we should ask if the tests can really be trusted
Interesting times, I can’t believe I’m not going to be around all weekend to watch the fireworks. Although given Versus’ lame coverage of anti-doping, maybe that’s for the best. I wonder if ASO has a twitter feed.
Irrelevant Update:
I guess there are some things I didn’t realize you couldn’t bring to a music festival:
Prohibited items
All attendees will be searched upon entering the festival grounds. The following items will not be allowed: Tents, flags, refunds or exchanges, lounge chairs, instruments, knives or other weapons, video cameras, audio recording devices, professional cameras (NO cameras with detachable lenses), pets, food, beverages (other than sealed bottled water), drugs or drug paraphernalia.