April 6, 2011 – The fight against doping is now pushing the UCI and the international rowing federation (FISA) to propose an end to injections of any kind. The two bodies are exasperated that used syringes are found in the trash cans of hotels used by their athletes reports AFP.

Dr. Mario Zorzoli, the head doctor at the UCI deplores that healthy adults are needlessly injecting themselves with vitamins and other authorized substances “to speed recovery times” and notes that it is only a small step to take from there to injecting banned doping products. He notes the case of a junior cycling team in Italy whose riders were prescribed two to three injections a week between May and October.

Meanwhile, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is considering ending its practice of collecting B samples in an effort to save both time and money according to AP. WADA director general David Howman notes that common criminals are being sent to jail based on one bodily sample, but doping cheats are getting an easier ride because both the A and B samples must test positive before they are tried for doping. “Sport really is on its own in collecting two samples,” he said.

And the list of WADA’s banned substances may soon include nicotine reports AFP. The scientific director at WADA, Olivier Rabin, notes that nicotine is a stimulant and can produce enhanced performance. While his organization is studying possible protocols regarding nicotine, he does not intend to target athletes who smoke but rather those who use the stimulant to enhance performance.

In other doping news, Lance Armstrong may have recently lost one of his most stalwart supporters. Bill Strickland, the executive editor of Bicycling Magazine, has come to believe that Armstrong doped throughout his pro cycling career. After years of championing the cyclist’s innocence on doping charges, Strickland has now penned a long article to say why he has changed his opinion. That article is entitled “Lance Armstrong’s Endgame,” and is already available online.

Further Reading
Too many injections here
No more B samples? here
Nicotine to be banned? here
Lance Armstrong’s Endgame here