Fight Against Doping -- 2009 Tour Most Tested Event; Trial Possible for Austrians

The 2009 Tour de France France "will be the most tested event in the history of sports", says the International Cycling Union. (Getty Images) 2009 Tour “Most Tested” Sporting Event

International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat MacQuaid said the 2009 Tour de France "will be the most tested event in the history of sports."

MacQuaid made the comment at a joint press conference with UCI and French anti-doping authorities, saying 500 tests would be performed during the month long Tour. 180 riders will race in the event, with 50 of those being tested more than others. MacQuaid said the names of those 50 riders would not be made public.

"The 50 riders were picked on a sporting basis, among the favorites of the Tour de France, and also from the knowledge we have got from the biological passport.”

"What is important is not the number of tests, but the fact that we target riders," said AFLD president Pierre Bordry.

French Anti-Doping Agency President Pierre Bordry said the important thing is “the fact that we target riders."

"I want to state that those who dope will have to be very careful because we will be extremely thorough," he said.

All cyclists are required to give a blood sample July 2, two days before the start of the race, for a preliminary test, and also for further testing, if needed.

A UCI doctor said eight to 11 riders would be tested daily during the Tour.

The Tour de France has been marred by doping scandals for the past few years, with multiple riders testing positive for performance enhancing drugs.

Trial Possible for Austrians in Doping Scandal

A trial later this year could be ahead for 10 Austrians indicted in Italy over charges stemming from the blood doping scandal at the Turin Olympics.Austrian Ski Federation chief president Peter Schroecksnadel may get a trial this year over blood doping charges during the Turin Olympics. (Getty Images)

Leading the list of those charges is Austrian Ski Federation chief president Peter Schroecksnadel and nine coaches and athletes. All except Schroecksnadel have been previously banned from the Olympics for life by the IOC as a result of the Turin debacle.

They include infamous coach Walter Mayer, Markus Gandler –the ASF’s biathlon sports director, two other officials and five athletes.

The case grew out of a raid by Italian police during the Turin Olympics at private housing used by Austrian athletes. Among the evidence seized were materials that could be used for blood doping.

The IOC sanctioned athletes and coaches implicated in the sacandal and fined the Austrian Olympic Committee $1 million, a fine paid by the Austrian Ski Federation.

A lawyer for one of the accused said the trial “seems politically motivated."

Russian Olympic Doctors Face Quiz

Russian doctors going to the Vancouver Olympics will be quizzed on doping by the end of the year.

The report came in the Russian Itar-Tass news agency on Tuesday.

Gennady Aleshin, Vice President of the Russian Olympic Committee said at an ROC meeting on Tuesday the quiz was to make the ROC’s medical operation more professional and increase knowledge about doping.

Aleshin also said if one Russian failed a drug test it would be an embarrassment for Russia.

Three Russian biathletes were kicked out of the world championships for failing a drug test prior to the event, and eight Olympians were disqualified from the Beijing Games when it was determined they swapped urine samples during a drug test.

Written by Ed Hula III.