German Federation cracks down on doping

By Susan Westemeyer

The German cycling federation, BDR, has stepped up its war on doping at its annual meeting over the weekend in Stuttgart, Germany, requiring chaperons for doping controls and issuing restrictions on racing by riders who are under suspicion of or investigation for use of illegal doping products, according to the German press agency "DPA".

Under the chaperone system, a rider who must appear at doping controls after a stage or race will be accompanied by a neutral person from the time the rider crosses the finish line until he or she gives a sample. Riders under suspicion of having used doping products will not be allowed to start in German races. In response to the situation with Danilo Hondo, the federation now requires German-registered teams to continue suspend riders who have had positive A and B tests, the results of which have been set aside for whatever reason by a sports court.

The recent doping scandals have hurt German cycling, BDR president Rudolf Scharping noted. "One million Euros, that is the damage we can measure in our budget through the loss of sponsors.