Cycling Australia considers mandatory DNA samples

Governing bodies and teams worldwide are becoming increasingly interested in the possibility of collecting DNA from racers should it be needed for future doping investigations. Cycling Australia (CA) joined that list Thursday. According to the Herald Sun, CA is considering mandatory storage of athletes' DNA samples.

The measure comes after the German Cycling Federation announced earlier this week that all Olympic team athletes for the Beijing Games would have to provide DNA samples. "No DNA sample, no Olympics," Scharping had told press agency dpa.

CA is now evaluating legal implications of such a decision in Australia.

"We've taken legal advice on the use of DNA," Fredericks said to the Herald Sun. "We're not entirely sure what the legal situation is in Australia in terms of being able to insist on it (DNA storage). But we would like to think at least as a minimum if people were caught (doping), there would be the potential for mandatory DNA sampling."

On Friday, May 4, UCI President Pat McQuaid, Tour de France head Christian Prudhomme, and International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT) leader Patrick Lefevere will meet to discuss Operación Puerto and anti-doping strategies, including DNA testing.