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All Tour riders to be screened for EPO-like drug called 'oxygen in a pill'

Two riders have already tested positive for FG-4592

All riders in the Tour de France will now be screened for the blood-boosting drug FG-4592, the UCI has confirmed in the wake of two positive tests for the EPO-like substance.

FG-4592, unlike EPO, can be taken in a tablet rather than injected, and does not need refrigeration.

The UCI announced this week that Italian UCI Professional Continental team Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec will be suspended from racing for between 15 and 45 days after a second rider tested positive for a banned substance.

World cycling’s governing body announced today that the team’s 30-year-old rider Fabio Taborre had tested positive for FG-4592 in a sample collected during an out-of-competition test on 16 June 2015.

The news comes just four weeks after another rider from the team run by Gianni Savio, the former Team Sky sprinter Davide Appollonio, tested positive for EPO following an out-of-competition test on 14 June 2015.

UCI to suspend Androni-Giocattoli after second rider tests positive

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The substance, originally developed for use in patients with chronic kidney disease boosts the body’s ability to produce EPO.

Taborre has the right to request an analysis of his B sample and in the meantime has been provisionally suspended.

Under rules that came into force at the start of this year, a second positive test for riders on the same team inside a 12 month period result in a suspension ranging from 15 to 45 days for the team as a whole.

West London-based GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) became the first pharmaceutical business in the world to notify the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of a new drug under an agreement aimed at fighting doping in sport in 2013, when it developed the drug known as drug, known as FG-4592 or ‘oxygen in a pill’.

While a company spokesman said the agreement meant GSK was unable to identify specific compounds, the one notified to WADA is said to be a drug that enhances the production of red blood cells.

Currently, the market is dominated by US-based Amgen – coincidentally, sponsor of the Tour of California – although it has eased back from a peak in sales of $12 billion in 2006, te reduction partly explained by concerns over side-effects.

“Samples collected at the Tour will be tested for FG-4592, and it will also be done in upcoming races,” UCI spokesman Sébastien Gillot said.

There is no indication as yet as to when the final results for the Tour analyses will be announced.

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11 comments

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notfastenough | 9 years ago
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I wonder about the thought process that led Amgen to sponsor the ToC - did they go "We'll sell a sh*tload more EPO"?!

Also, do they turn a shade of puce if a rider tests positive for EPO at the ToC?

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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Well given the news that the German TV broke last night on athletics then for me WADA have to step up.

They basically should be in charge of all the processes and decisions about doping and all sports have no part to play.

Also athletes able to compete should be signing up with a condition saying they have no right of appeal. Yes very tough but if you want to take part then sorry be clean ....

Oh and also ban TUE, if sick, tough, pull out.

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Judge dreadful | 9 years ago
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Chinese labs are knocking out new compounds, that can mimic the banned stuff, on a weekly basis. 'Knowing' who's doing this stuff, and 'proving' it, are very different things. If it isn't actually on the UCI's shit list, it's okay. Here we go again  13

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shay cycles replied to Judge dreadful | 9 years ago
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No it isn't OK - it doesn't need to be on the UCI list to be banned. The WADA code applies and bans substances including those not yet approved for human use and not yet even created - category S0, it also bans methods and method M0 precludes any artificial method to boost the blood.

thus the tablets in the article are banned and even new ones not yet developed are covered by those clauses. That is why two riders have been banned already for this "new" substance even though it isn't yet listed.

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kwyken replied to shay cycles | 9 years ago
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Does anyone know what sort of methods are concidered artificial? For example, are pressure chambers that mimic altitude banned?

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Jamminatrix | 9 years ago
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"There is no indication as yet as to when the final results for the Tour analyses will be announced."
It's okay, there likely won't be depending on how many positives come back, since the UCI is overseeing testing. They wouldn't want any more negative PR. Hush, hush, scapegoat the Continental team riders.

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pwake replied to Jamminatrix | 9 years ago
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Jamminatrix wrote:

"There is no indication as yet as to when the final results for the Tour analyses will be announced."
It's okay, there likely won't be depending on how many positives come back, since the UCI is overseeing testing. They wouldn't want any more negative PR. Hush, hush, scapegoat the Continental team riders.

Now, I know it's impossible to satisfy you conspiracy theorists, but the UCI does not oversee testing; that is performed by the CADF which is an independent body.

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jollygoodvelo replied to pwake | 9 years ago
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pwake wrote:
Jamminatrix wrote:

"There is no indication as yet as to when the final results for the Tour analyses will be announced."
It's okay, there likely won't be depending on how many positives come back, since the UCI is overseeing testing. They wouldn't want any more negative PR. Hush, hush, scapegoat the Continental team riders.

Now, I know it's impossible to satisfy you conspiracy theorists, but the UCI does not oversee testing; that is performed by the CADF which is an independent body.

An independent body that's funded by the UCI, incidentally. Not that I'm suggesting shenanigans.

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2 Wheeled Idiot | 9 years ago
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Another problem with the drug is that it isn't yet cleared for human use properly...long term effects are unknown and could potentially be very harmful-more so than just thickening if the blood.

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2 Wheeled Idiot | 9 years ago
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Another problem with the drug is that it isn't yet cleared for human use properly...long term effects are unknown and could potentially be very harmful-more so than just thickening if the blood.

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Kadinkski | 9 years ago
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This is the kind of thing that is very attractive to amateur riders - it removes the taboo of injecting, is easily portable, and its readily available on the internet (although still relatively expensive).

Problem is it has the same side effects as EPO - a thickening of the blood.

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