More AFLD action

iainf72

They've going to be using a new test

But have declined to say what it's for.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=re ... &type=lgns

I wonder if the kids will be looking at their bags of red and wondering if it'll be ok....

Kléber

Coincidentally only today I was thinking that if I was running the AFLD I'd let it be known that I had new tests ready for July, even if I was bluffing, just to scare the riders.

iainf72

It's a clever technique.

Could be DynEPO maybe?

crown_jewel

Whatever it is, I'm all for it!

dave_1

AFLD are being quite vague...that is great...the last thing we need is them providing a list that lets someone figure what they can still get away with. I wonder, is it easy for non accredited visitors to come to TDF hotels. ...remember a few years ago when cycling weekly journos saw Zabel out cycling in the darkness of night away from hotel ...pretty obvious, no?

blazing_saddles

Don't need to introduce new dope tests, just polygraph tests.

Pokerface

Does anyone have any inkling exactly what this 'undetectable' drug may be?

Are there drugs out there that are common knowledge but not spoken about, etc?

For instance - did people know about CERA before it came to the fore last summer? Or was it only known in the 'inner sanctum'?

Edwin

The only thing that's undetectable, as far as I'm aware, is autologous blood doping (although the bio passport is supposed to address that).
As for CERA, it's a commercial product made by Roche, one of the biggest pharma companies. Trials were made public as far back as 2005 so it was hardly secret.
A test for blood transfusions, if it's sufficiently robust would be big news. Problem is, it would have to stand up to considerable scrutiny if a rider gets busted and claims innocence...

SpaceJunk

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Don't need to introduce new dope tests, just polygraph tests.

+1

stagehopper

iainf72 wrote:

It's a clever technique.

Could be DynEPO maybe?

Bordry did say last October that they had indications of autologous transfusions and suggested a test would be ready in a year:

"We are already in possession of indications of serious cases of autologous transfusions. To who it relates, we will probably only be able to say later. Currently, we only search for Cera. But soon we can also work with the new procedure to demonstrate autologous transfusion, and then we will also test the samples again."

“We will have so a test - in the future, perhaps only in one year.”

[info from the Saxo Bank message board]

Kléber

That's true. There is a test right now but it's not yet been validated. I think the UCI / AFLD are using it for "intelligence", to track who is doing what. Certainly if they could suspect a rider of blood doping, it would only take a tip off to a journalist or a police squad to actually catch the rider. Even better though would be an effective test in time for the Tour so anyone using this method can be busted, it would have a drastic impact on the results.

stagehopper

And Bordry did also say in the wake of the Schumacher case that they'd sent 22 riders letters inviting them to "please discuss your blood values with your team doctor" in the first week of last year's Tour. Those whose values returned to "normal" saw their performances drop off ...

micron

It's a product and a technique, apparently