Daryl Impey fails Tour de France drug test
Once again cycling is under scrutiny following another failed drug test. It seems that the huge controversy surrounding Lance Armstrong’s admission of doping offences has not deterred other cyclists from trying to boost their performance with banned substances.
Just before the Tour de France commenced, Daryl Impey, the South African cyclist who is riding for Orica-GreenEDGE, failed a drug test.
Impey tested positive for Probenecid, a drug that is used for treating gout. It is unlikely that Impey is suffering from gout and most gout drugs are non-steroidal, so why would an athlete want to take it?
Probenecid is used as a masking agent for some anabolic steroids, so when Impey tested positive for Probenecid this is a signal that he may be using anabolic steroids to boost his performance. Of course, testing positive for such a drug in itself is not evidence that anabolic steroids have been used.
Probenecid works by reducing the concentration of acidic compounds that are associated with the use of performance enhancing drugs, especially anabolic steroids.
Anabolic steroids aid cyclists in two ways; first, during the training season they help to develop and retain muscle so that the cyclist becomes stronger. They do this by increasing the production of proteins that are needed for muscle growth. Anabolic steroids also suppress the hormone cortisol in muscles, which slows down the rate at which muscle tissue is broken down. Second, during competition season steroids help to boost performance by increasing aggressiveness and competitiveness. Having the correct mental attitude is vital in winning sports and research has shown that altering the hormone balance can affect mental attitude and therefore increase performance.
However, according to David R. Mottram, PhD, Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Liverpool John Moores University, very few cases of manipulation using Probenecid are ever confirmed as doping offences. It is possible that follow-up tests will provide negative results.
Britain’s Chris Froome, winner of the 2013 Tour de France, has described his shock at Impey testing positive for a banned substance. Froome said: “It was quite shocking this morning to have the news about Daryl, someone I know really well. He’s been a teammate with me on Barloworld. It was quite shocking news. It’s always harder when you know the person on a personal level.”
Impey has said that he is innocent and does not even know what Probenecid is and that he is confident that further tests will prove that he is innocent.
There is some speculation that the announcement of the test result has been done to deliberately upset Impey prior to the start of the Tour de France. Similar accusations were made during the Sochi Winter Games when Canadian figure skaters were subjected to additional drug tests before competing.
Froome says that this report will shape the way many people view the race. Even if Impey is later found to be innocent the event could have a huge impact on his cycling.
Froome explained his concerns: “It’s right on the eve of the Tour, right when the spotlight is on cycling. It is a bit strange that we get to the eve of the Tour and cases come out in the days leading up to the Tour, but to say there’s any foul play or anything, I wouldn’t be able to say that. It’s harmful to the sport and a big shame. But I do think it’s a good thing that we talk about it, that we put all of our cards on the table.”
Drug testing in sport is vital to allow athletes to compete fairly but there must be a balance to ensure that athletes are not put under unfair scrutiny immediately before a major event.https://www.matrixdiagnostics.co.uk/wp-admin/post-new.php