Yesterday, UCI President Pat McQuaid Antidoping Service Manager Anne Gripper met with the AIGCP (International Parliament of Professional the Cyclists Groups) in Paris. Gripper presented the last improvements in the fight against doping. She called for a collaboration of all groups within cycling to fight doping together.
In particular, she suggested the use of new blood parameters for better targeting controls and called for increased involvement of teams, including more funding for teams' antidoping programs. The UCI also announced it would increase random, out-of-competition testing and control more strictly the authorizations for therapeutic uses of substances.
Gripper asked for an improvement in the quality and quantity of controls by National Federations including the strict application of sanctions and the increased education of cyclists regarding doping restrictions.
Finally, she highlighted the benefits of hematological profiles or baseline DNA testing for each rider in future doping fights.
Looking further ahead, the UCI is presently studying whether shortening the major Tours would help reduce doping in cycling. Some experts now believe that the long duration of the Tours makes them so tough that many racers resort to doping to get through them.
The teams present generally supported an increase in anti-doping measures.
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Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
