The UCI Meeting in Geneva
Summary Points:
UCI wants to start with bloodtesting in March, before Milan-San Remo. The
blood test will be random controls and will be taken before, not after the
races
They expect to do 700-1000 tests a year.
The limit is a value of hematocrite in the blood of 50 percent; higher
than 50 means 'no start permission' without other sanction. First the UCI
wanted to use a limit of 53; team leaders and doctors asked for a limit of
43-percent. The compromise was 50.
Special rules for riders which are coming from high altitude countries,
for example, riders from Colombia after racing for 4 months in the
mountains will get other limits: 50-53.
Hein Verbruggen said: "It's a health-control; not a doping-control".
>Lon Schatteberg, vice-president of the medical commission of the UCI:
"You have to see this as a protection rule for the riders. A boxer is
tested too before his game. Only for his own safety".
Theo de Rooy (Rabo): "I'm glad with this decision. It's unique in our
sport; because the rules came from solidarity. In our team we already do
several blood tests during the year. Our riders are always well inside the
50-limit."
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