Friday, August 24, 2012

OK, help me out here.....

Lance Armstrong has apparently been, according to the U.S. cycling federation, doping throughout his career without ever being caught in 500 tests, approximately one per week of his cycling career. 

Now, one thing I remember from my childhood cortisone injections (Kenalog)  for poison ivy and allergies is that the wonderful effects of this steroid last for about a month or more.  In the same way, if Armstrong was adding extra blood cells, those also live for about two months--trust a soon to be 14 gallon donor to know this.

So if Armstrong was being tested weekly, or even monthly, and it was not detected, then we have only a few possibilities:

1.  The tests aren't worth beans.

2.  The tests work, but Armstrong's doping level was below the critical thresholds.  (keep in mind here that the synthetic drugs Armstrong is accused of taking have extremely low thresholds)  Would this really be an issue?

3.  The cycling federation doesn't really care about doping, but pretends to just to preserve a modicum of credibility.

Whatever the facts may be, Lance Armstrong is not the key problem  It's the anti-doping committee of the cycling federation.

H/T Mr. Dilettante

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