AFLD wants WADA to override blocking of tests

Pierre Bordry, president of the French national anti-doping agency AFLD,  has indicated that he might lobby the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) so that his agency can carry out its own drug tests during Paris-Nice next month.

"According to the world anti-doping code, national agencies can ask WADA to allow them to carry out some tests, even during international races," said Bordry, according to Reuters.

On Friday the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) had rejected an AFLD proposal to carry out additional controls during the race, which runs from March 7 to 14.

UCI president Pat McQuaid wrote to Bordry, saying that he would not agree to the request. He said that the UCI would provide "a perfectly adequate control program with 95 checks, including unannounced controls," according to the AFP. "I see no deficiencies that would necessitate 15 additional controls.

"According to the world anti-doping code, international sporting events have to be controlled by the International Federations," he added.

The AFLD and the UCI had a well-publicized clash last autumn after the French agency blasted the UCI over testing in last year’s Tour. Amongst the faults highlighted was an alleged favouring of the Astana team of Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong, first and third overall in Paris, as well as claims that urine samples were not transported and stored in correct conditions.

The UCI responded by saying that it would not work with the AFLD in the 2010 Tour de France.

According to Reuters, Bordry described McQuaid’s letter as ‘unbelievable’ and said that he had replied. However he was not willing to elaborate on what he stated in the response.