BikeRadar has an intriguing post on a positive test for human growth hormone. The test involved a rugby league player but obviously holds huge implications for professional cycling. Although the substance has been banned for two decades, there’s been no reliable test for it.
Now (presumably) all those back samples can be screened over again. But once again, it puts enforcement into a touchy political arena. If all the big stars test positive, will the UCI or applicable governing body really act? Since there’s no transparency in the lab screening process, we the public have to trust that all samples are being tested equally, and penalties meted out fairly. That’s a pretty big leap in this day and age where corporate sponsorships and Big Money ultimately call the shots.