Gene doping is here?

[LostBMW]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/drugs...

"He also warned about the current abuse of a drug called Aicar, first discovered in 2008, which converts fast-twitch muscle fibres to the more efficient slow-twitch fibres to benefit endurance athletes, which is introduced in powder from Eastern Europe and it would be a kind of gene doping."

Wonder how prevalent its use is? Also whether they do one to convert slow twitch to fast!

[mcelliott]

I read that report a few days ago - I think it first appeared in CyclingNews. It made thoroughly depressing reading. As far as I'm aware, aicar has been around since about 2009, certainly in pro cycling anyway. Totally undetectable, even from the latest blood testing technology. There are at least 3 or 4 other drugs being developed to evade detection also. Very strong suspicions among the European peleton that most of the GT condenders are using this stuff. Remember, a bad doctor is always two steps ahead of a good doctor.

Interesting piece here by Paul Kimmage regarding Wiggins and Sky.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kimmage-unconvince...

Edited by mcelliott on Wednesday 2nd January 21:18

[Ordinary_Chap]

Very interesting stuff chaps.

This is just one of the many designer drugs out there undetected in sport. Its the same arms race has been happening for 50 years with new and more powerful drugs remaining undetected for long periods of time and sometimes indefinitely.

[goldblum]

You wouldn't even need to blood test the dopers - a conspicuous drop in sprint/short climb performance would indicate something untoward. It's interesting to think that a powder can change non-oxidative fibres to fibres that require oxygen - it raises all sorts of physiological questions left beforehand to genes..i.e., is there a minimum % of fast twitch fibres needed to allow a human being to go about their everyday life? Would greater capillerisation result from more slow twitch fibres and how much would the CV system adapt? RHR might drop to incredibly low levels.

[Some Gump]

Interesting article, but i'm confused.. Surely a simple haemocrit test would highlight any "new" epo drug? The bloke claiming epo-z is about also claims there is "chineese epo" but can't name it? What sort of scientist makes statements about substances they can't even name? The tin foil hatters might claim the chinese government made it, but i can't think of any endurance sports the chinese excel at?

Imo the irish fella is also just making noise on the back of a court victory - the entire peloton from this years tour would have been munched in the armstrong years, and with no rodreiguez (sp?), contador etc to attack in the hills, sky had it their way, on a course that suited them.

If team sky IS doping, you can fairly assume team gb is doping - and i don't think they could keep that secret - too many people involved would be discusted by it and blow the whistle.