Another possible doping hub? (Speculation only)

[ingsve]

In light of the austrian doping scandal that included both cyclists as well as biathletes and skiers I got to thinking about the other big doping scandal in biathlon.

It was recently revealed that two more russian biathletes were caught positive for EPO in the russian biathlon championships recently. This comes after 3 riders were tested positive for EPO just ahead of the World Biathlon Championships in febuary.

This suggest some sort of systematic program of EPO doping in parts of russian biathlon. Given the case in Austria the question is: Is there any chance that there might be a program or team of doctors etc behind these biathletes that also cater to other sports and cyclists in perticular?

I haven't seen any research into what people may have helped these 5 athletes that are now taken so anything is possible. It's certainly an issue to keep an eye on for the future.

One problem might be the willingness of the russian federation to investigate the matter. Russian biathlon didn't even have an anti-doping branch before the scandal at the world championships. Chances are we migt never know who were the people behind the scene helping these riders.

 

[bikepure]

lets keep focused on the racing..and TRY to have faith in the testers.

FULLY understand you are sickened with the polution of our sport but Speculation is just media attention away from the clean cyclists.

http://www.bikepure.org

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Is this XC ski biathlon, or cycling/run biathlon?

XC skiing is my favorite sport and has had nearly as much trouble as cycling (and track & field) over the last several years.

 

[elapid]

I think biathlon = XC ski and rifle shooting, and duathlon = running and cycling.

 

[ingsve]

It's the wintersport, skiiing+shooting. The same sport that was connected with the Kohl case.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I figured as much.

XC Skiing has had nearly as rough of a go as cycling, and doping there would probably be even worse if the sport generated more financial returns.

 

[ingsve]

Ya, that understandable though since XC skiing and cycling are 2 of the sports where EPO or blood doping has the most obvious and massive effects.

If there was a drug that could give you good technique with a ball then I'm sure football would have a huge problem (and by football I of course mean real football i.e. soccer and nothing else.)

 

[BigBoat]

They could have been using animal based epo and just not stopped using it in time for the race.

Or they were blood doping with their own blood and IV dosing tiny amounts of animal based epo to stimulate rectic production so the testing body could not see abnormalities (no rectics after weeks of transfusions.)

Probably though, they were just jacked on epo and hemodiluting their blood with an starch based plasma expander like hespan or Pentaspan to pass the controls.

In Top cycling none use epo anymore but many blood dope with their own blood.

 

[elapid]

They could have been using animal based epo

I do not think animal-based EPO exists. There is a great deal of heterogeneity in EPO, meaning that human EPO can be used in animals. Animal-based EPO is unlikely to exist because of this heterogeneity and because there are so few indications and uses for it in animals to make it economically feasible. As a veterinarian and oncologist, we use human EPO for cats and dogs with chronic renal failure-induced anemia and very occasionally for anemias induced by chemotherapy drugs. This is a very small market, and a drop in the ocean compared to its intended, medically responsible market in people.

 

[BigBoat]

I do not think animal-based EPO exists.

Most EPO (Epoetin alfa) is produced in an animal cell line. They extract cell cultures from animals and then keep them alive in a lab so that they produce EPO. This is what made the CERA detectable as is most epo. MAMMALIAN EPO is probably universal and used on many different pets in vet clinics sure...

However Epoetin delta (Dynepo) is produced in a human cell line and is human identical. WADA has not approved a test for it because it is too similar to human epo production and legally they cannot differentiate between the 2.