June 17, 2006 — According to a recent Associated Press report cycling produced the most positive tests for banned substances of any Olympic sport in the latest global statistics compiled by WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency.

WADA-accredited laboratories reported 482 positive samples for cyclists in 2005. Baseball was second with 390 positives, while soccer was third with 343. Track and field, the most tested sport, was fourth with 342.

Cycling also had the highest percentage of positive tests, with 3.78% out of 12,751 samples, followed by baseball at 3.69% out of 10,580, boxing at 3.41% of 2,433, and triathlon with 3.41% of 2,170. Track and field had 1.67% positives out of 20,464 samples.

Overall, the number of positive samples increased by 34.4%, to 3,909 in 2005 from 2,909 in 2004. Of the total samples, 2.13% tested positive last year.

WADA’s 33 labs tested 14,150 more samples in 2005 than they did in 2004. WADA oversees drug-testing in Olympic and some non-Olympic sports, handling both in-competition and out-of-competition controls.

The AP report continued saying steroids accounted for the most positive tests in 2005, with 1,864 or 48%. WADA’s Los Angeles lab tested the most samples (39,775) and had the most positives (538). Paris, which had the third most samples, had the second most positive tests with 491.