New detection possibilities

Largely unnoticed an alarmingly high number of doping cases have been discovered in recent months. Laboratories in Cologne and Moscow have tested hundreds of samples from athletes that have turned out positive for the anabolic steroid Oral-Turinabol and the substance stanozolol.

The steroid is mostly known from the state-run doping programme in former East Germany, and stanozolol from the 1988 Olympic case of Ben Johnson.

Grigory Rodchenko, head of the Mosow control laboratory, told German ARD that "with this detection method, 100 urine samples have now tested positive that would previously have turned up negative."

Rodchenko estimates the detection window to be six months or more, considerably longer than what has previously been possible. This is also true of the substance stanozolol, which has already been discovered in well over 100 urine samples at the Cologne laboratory thanks to the improved detection method. Cologne doping analyst Hans Geyer confirmed: "By my count, we have hundreds of positive cases that we would otherwise never have found."

The two substances are classic anabolics, and can effectively help athletes increase their muscle mass. "Traces of Oral-Turinabol were discovered, for example, in urine samples from the pre-competition testing at the 2013 World Athletics Championships," Moscow laboratory director Rodchenko confirmed.

Cologne laboratory analyst Hans Geyer think it is a good idea to retest samples from all major sporting events as soon as possible. If this will indeed be the case it will be interesting to see how the new detection methods affect cycling.

"With these improved procedures, it will definitely be possible to isolate positive cases in high-risk sports," Geyer added.

Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the IOC's Medical Commission stated to the ARD that "this case is a good example of the necessity of performing re-tests on Olympic doping samples. I would certainly conduct retests here. We have the mandate for that, after all."

The new detection methods may be of considerable interest to the UCI and WADA, as it could enable detection of controlled doping that takes place outside of competitions, and in the off season.