French races may head overseas for anti-doping tests

President of the French National Cycling League (LNC) and Française des Jeux directeur sportif Marc Madiot expressed his concern over funding shortfalls that could see organisers of French races forced to use overseas laboratories for anti-doping tests.

"We are facing a situation that neither the LNC or the French Cycling Federation (FFC) are desires," said Madiot, according to L'Equipe.

L'Equipe reported on Tuesday that while testing for French races was last year carried out by the French anti-doping agency's (AFLD) lab in Châtenay-Malabry, in southwest Paris, the breakdown in relations between the AFLD and the International Cycling Union (UCI) has raised the prospect of an increased financial burden for race organisers. Madiot said that while the nation's biggest races could weather an increase in costs; smaller races could be put at risk.

"My concern today as President of the LPCF is to ensure a reasonable financial cost [of testing] and not to increase the expense for race organizers, who apart from Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), can not afford to follow - whether with the AFLD or the UCI."

As an alternative to testing through the AFLD or UCI, race organisers could find a more cost effective solution in countries such Switzerland. Anxious to ensure the quality of testing procedures, the races could instead work with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) approved laboratories, including the Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses (LAD), in Lausanne.