A multi-year probe of doping in cycling has turned up some stunning evidence from the International Cycling Union that paints an image of the sport closer to the Tour de Frankenstein than Tour de France.
The three-member panel delivered their findings on Sunday, which contained startling accounts of how deep steroid, HGH, PED and masking processes went. Many accounts centered on an apparent widespread usage of blood transfusions through European doctors to help cyclists get around testing. These are the most important stories from that report.
In the past blood being stored improperly by doping doctors almost killed athletes.
If blood is not stored and administered correctly, the transfusion can be fatal for the athlete. In Jesus Manzano's case, the blood was poorly conserved, without his name on the bag, and made him ill. "It didn't say 'Manzano' on it; it could have been Joe Bloggs' blood," he said. "They put the 125ml into me and I began to feel bad, really bad. I was shivering; I felt colder than if I'd been at the North Pole. If they put in half a litre, I would have gone home in a box.
Modern doping involves chemically changing rider's blood.
The Commission also heard that riders are using ozone therapy, which involves extracting blood, treating it with ozone and injecting it back into the blood. One rider informed the Commission that by way of using ozone therapy he felt stronger.
Athletes are risking cancer in order to gain an edge.
By way of example, GW 1516 is a substance that sends more oxygen to the muscles, burns fat, and increases muscle mass. However, regulated development of the drug stopped before it was given clinical approval because it was thought to cause cancer. It is illegally manufactured today and a number of riders have been found using it, despite WADA issuing a warning to athletes about its effects.
Lance Armstrong was (somewhat) vindicated.
In the section entitled "Allegations of corruption" it was found that while Lance Armstrong did donate money earmarked for "testing research," none of this money was funneled into officials' personal accounts. In simple terms: They weren't bribes.
CIRC has not found any evidence of corruption in relation to a positive test by Lance Armstrong during the Tour de Suisse in 2001, as alleged by Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis in their affidavits to USADA as part of the Reasoned Decision. CIRC considers that it is unfortunate that such serious accusations can be made public, without UCI first being consulted and the allegations thoroughly investigated.
The current system for doping is underground and involves more than just drugs.
Media reports on the Padova criminal investigation in Italy mention that Dr Michele Ferrari and others, including a rider's agent, bankers and a lawyer, were being investigated for belonging to a criminal syndicate with the aim of trafficking and administration of doping substances, as well as tax evasion and money laundering. The allegations suggest that a "package" of support was offered to riders, which included tax evasion advice, training and doping programmes, legal advice, false contracts, the involvement of tax consultancy companies to manage secondary contracts, and money laundering.
Doping in amateur cycling has become vast.
Masters races were also said to have middle-aged businessmen winning on EPO, with some of them training as hard as professional riders and putting in comparable performances. Some professional riders explained that they no longer ride in the Gran Fondos because they were so competitive due to the number of riders doping.
The New York Times pulled one story from the report that was particularly scary.
One major problem with the technique of removing blood from riders in the off-season, freezing it and then putting it back in during races was getting blood bags past the border police. The report indicated that riders' circulatory systems had been turned into smuggling devices. "One rider provided information confirming that he would be given two to three units of blood in Madrid and he would then travel to France, where the units would be removed immediately, to be used later throughout the Tour," the commission found.
Clinics in Slovenia and elsewhere in Eastern Europe sold frozen blood to teams, according to the commission.
You can find the full 228-page report here.
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