USA Cycling is taking a firmer stand on amateur doping, while nothing new legally is taking place here it does appear that USA Cycling is going to attempt to take more action. In the past there has been much chatter about doping in the amateur ranks and while it was assumed that USADA was going bust many riders with the access they had to a large domestic list of consumers of banned substances but so far to date not much has come of this. It's been nearly 3 years since local rider Chuck Coyle was given 3 year suspension.
Anti-doping measures aren’t just for elite athletes
In fact, ALL USA Cycling-licensed riders, from amateurs to the pros, are required to abide by the World Anti-Doping Code and can be tested by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), both in and out-of-competition. This includes masters and juniors.
All competitors are responsible for the integrity of his or her own body. It says so right on the back of your license:
“Using any form of dietary supplement may result in a positive test for prohibited substances leading to a suspension and/or other penalties. Vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and other dietary substances may contain prohibited or illegal substances that may or may not be listed on the label. Any athlete who takes a vitamin, mineral, herb, amino acid or other dietary supplement does so at his or her own risk of committing a doping violation.”
Who can be tested and when?
Basically, if you’re an athlete in the sport of cycling, you are subject to both urine and blood tests, 365 days–a-year, at any time, and in any place.
IN-COMPETITION TESTING: USADA coordinates these in-competition tests with USA Cycling or the UCI, and athletes are usually selected for testing based on pre-established criteria, including random. An example would be selecting the top three finishers in a race for testing, as well as other randomly selected finishers. Keep in mind that in addition to pre-established criteria, USADA could also test additional athletes.
OUT-OF-COMPETITION TESTING: USADA establishes its plan for out-of-competition testing based on the number of cycling athletes in the USADA Registered Testing Pool. However, not being in the pool doesn’t mean you won’t be subject to out-of-competition testing. As is the case during competition, USADA can select additional athletes for testing.
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