Anti-doping agency goes bust

[Chuffy]

From Cycling News:-
"CE anti-doping firm closes

The Agency for Cycling Ethics (ACE) is going out of business, effective immediately, because of financial problems. The US-based firm had done anti-doping testing for the American teams Columbia, Garmin-Chipotle and BMC Racing.

"I can confirm that the Agency for Cycling Ethics is closing operations," co-founder and CEO Paul Strauss, told ESPN.com "We have no other comments regarding this."

The three US teams were among those who had an independent doping-control firm to keep an eye on its riders. Garmin owner Doug Ellis said that he was working with Columbia owner Bob Stapleton, "hoping to be able to get something else in place by the beginning of next season. There's no way forward that doesn't include this kind of program."

Under the ACE program, riders would have blood and urine tests about 26 times a year, in order to establish their baseline values and establish profiles to be used in conjunction with the UCI's biological passports.

A similar program is offered by Dr. Rasmus Damsgaard, who does controls for Teams CSC Saxo Bank, Astana and Liquigas, but who might not be able to take on any more teams. "The problem is that there aren't that many people with expertise in this field, people who we trust and that the world also trusts,"' Ellis said.(SW)"

That's a bit crap really, isn't it...

 

[yello]

Ah man, that sucks (says he adopting the American vernacular).

I really hope they can get something sorted, and I'm sure they will, pronto.

I hope this doesn't impact on the teams' eligibility for competition. Don't they need to demonstrate 6 months testing? And that'd be continuous/contiguous months.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Given that every team is going to have to start doing this kind of thing, it seems like an odd time to call it quits - surely they had a ready-made market? And I agree, it sucks, big time.

 

[itisaboutthebike]

They need to stop all this in-team testing, as it's noweher near rigourous enough.

Responsibilty for dope checks and bans should pass to a totally independent body (WADA ?) that have no vested interest in the sport.

 

[girofan]

So they'll all be charging-up for the next six months for training hard and tapering off for the season proper!!
The more things change, the more things remain the same?

 

[mondobongo]

Hit the nail there I think GF.

I did initially think all this In Team Testing was a good positive move but now I have to admit to being a sceptic.

 

[Keith Oates]

I thought this UCI Passport thing meant that they test all through the year not just during the season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chuffy]

Hit the nail there I think GF.

I did initially think all this In Team Testing was a good positive move but now I have to admit to being a sceptic.

So long as the testing is open and independent (and results are not 'filtered' by the teams) then I don't see why you'd need to be sceptical about it. Teams or individuals having private tests done (as some individuals have IIRC) is definitely dodgy.

 

[robbowatson]

I thought this UCI Passport thing meant that they test all through the year not just during the season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You would have thought so wouldn't you?? It would appear that the team 'doctors' have clearly found loopholes in the blood passport scheme...therefore making it obselete as it doesn't appear to be working?

There are 2 things that could be done:
1. make doping legal (god forbid that ever happens!)
2. Make internal team testing illegal so that every test is done by an independent lab.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

You would have thought so wouldn't you?? It would appear that the team 'doctors' have clearly found loopholes in the blood passport scheme...therefore making it obselete as it doesn't appear to be working?

There are 2 things that could be done:
1. make doping legal (god forbid that ever happens!)
2. Make internal team testing illegal so that every test is done by an independent lab.

2 is the only way. The big problem here and the reason for the thread is that the most progressive independent lab (ACE) has just gone bust... so now what do we do?

 

[robbowatson]

maybe cycling needs someone like Allen Stanford to be able to bankroll a new ACE?? Not sure that will happen?? Looks like we are back to square 1!