Another Step in the Long Road to a CLEAN GAMES The decision by the medical committee of the IOC to introduce random testing for EPO at the Sydney 2000 Olympics must be welcomed. It is an important step towards eliminating drug abuse amongst elite athletes, and will contribute towards cleaner competition at the Sydney 200 games. But it doesn't mean the Games will be drug free - drug cheats are constantly searching for new and better ways to gain an edge on the competition. EPO is one of many methods of cheating. Sport medicine scientists are still racing to design tests for Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1) just to name two. Despite that, the EPO test can be expected to have a significant impact on a number of sports - cycling, rowing, long distance running and other endurance events. The message to any athletes using EPO is clear - stop using it now, or risk getting caught in Sydney. It is fair to say that with two very good tests for EPO, we can be assured that use of EPO will be minimised. And I say minimised, not eliminated, deliberately. Athletes must fail both tests before they are banned. This means we may still face the prospect of athletes who fail the blood test, which can detect EPO use up to three weeks after it is administered, but pass the urine test, which detects EPO only up to three days after it is administered. In an ideal world, without the complex legalities that surround drug testing, failing the blood test would mean disqualification. However, at the same time it is important to guard against 'false positive' tests - ones that see clean athletes wrongly accused. We still have many steps on that long road to a clean Olympics. One fact is very clear however - athletes who abuse EPO are risking losing the biggest competition of all - life. When used to artificially enhance athletic performance, EPO is a dangerous, even deadly, drug. EPO is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by the kidney. It stimulates the bone marrow and increases red blood production. In a normal setting doctors use it to treat anemia. |
But artificial or recombinant EPO used by athletes is used in larger doses. It is used mainly by endurance athletes to increase the ability of their blood to carry oxygen, and fight off fatigue. Used this way it can improve athletic performance significantly - but can deadly. The blood thickens with excessive use of EPO, and users can suffer blood clots, strokes and heart attacks. There have been a number of deaths of endurance cyclists directly related to the use of EPO. Until recently it was impossible to identify artificial EPO, as it is virtually identical to EPO naturally produced by the body. Athletes used to thinking they couldn't be caught. But thanks to Australian and French research, this is no longer the case. The Australian test is particularly significant. It is the first blood test to be introduced to the Olympics and will detect use of EPO dating back to three weeks. Sports Medicine Australia is particularly proud that the Australian research team who successfully designed the test was led by SMA ACT Branch President Dr Peter Davis. Dr Davis and his team at the AIS were under massive pressure with difficult time constraints. It was a huge project, with researchers working night and day towards the end to make sure it was ready in time for the Sydney Olympics. Non elite athletes from Australia and China acted as human guinea pigs. These tests showed that EPO certainly increased performance, confirming that it gives an unfair advantage. The tests also provided researchers with 'markers' that indicated use of the drug. The development of the test, and its acceptance by the IOC Medical Commission are testament to the high calibre of Australian sports medicine research. There is no doubts that Australia is up among the world leaders when it comes to sports medicine and sport science research. Drugs like EPO are bad for athlete, bad for sport, and represent a big lie to sports fans. |
