What's their problem with DNA testing? If I were a clean cyclist and thought my earnings were being eaten into by cheats then I'd be more than happy about the possibility of getting them either out of the sport or back down to a natural level.

What's the problem?

What's their problem with DNA testing? If I were a clean cyclist and thought my earnings were being eaten into by cheats then I'd be more than happy about the possibility of getting them either out of the sport or back down to a natural level.

What's the problem?

Currently enjoying a well-deserved holiday on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, the winner of the 2006 ProTour reportedly told local media, "DNA tests are a great breach into the private lives of the riders. If we agree to that, what will be the next step? Lowering our pants prior to the start?"

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/nov06/nov03news2

I like the last line. haha.

What's their problem with DNA testing? If I were a clean cyclist and thought my earnings were being eaten into by cheats then I'd be more than happy about the possibility of getting them either out of the sport or back down to a natural level.

What's the problem?

Would you feel good about letting a clumsy, poorly-ran agency have access to very personal, private data?

Stolen biometric traces can be used for a variety of crimes against the owners.

I am with Valverde and Bettini on this one. May as well give the UCI the credit card numbers of the riders, too.

seems to me the DNA issue is being over-blown-the only thing it could be used for is matching people to seized blood samples. The only privacy issue would be if it got in the hands of insurers in the form of markers for certain health issues-and that would only effect the US riders since every Euro has crib to grave state health coverage. Maybe WADA has secretly found genetic markers for absolute athletic capacity - let the conspiracy theories begin...

If Vegas was booking which cyclists are doping, my first bet would be on Valverde-there's something not right with that guy...

Would you feel good about letting a clumsy, poorly-ran agency have access to very personal, private data?

Stolen biometric traces can be used for a variety of crimes against the owners.

I am with Valverde and Bettini on this one. May as well give the UCI the credit card numbers of the riders, too.

My thoughts exactly. Just a bit too Orwellian for me. Might as well brand a bar code on them.

, my first bet would be on Valverde-there's something not right with that guy...

:nono: :nono:

I really hate to say it, but I have the same question mark in my head about Valverde too- probably because his name was mentioned early on in the OP incident. And that is exactly why DNA should be used- so that we can put a rest to all of the rumors and suspicions. It's not the end-all of cheating and it can be manipulated like any other test done right now, but I can't think of a better solution. We have police on the street because we need them, even if a very few of them might be corrupt or abusive of the power that they hold. Not having DNA testing could hurt these riders enough so they won't have to worry about being tested because people will lose interest in the 'realness' of the sport, sponsors will pull out, and that'll be that. I like Bettini and have no reason to believe he isn't 100% clean, but when was the last time you heard of an innocent person complain about DNA testing?

What's their problem with DNA testing? If I were a clean cyclist and thought my earnings were being eaten into by cheats then I'd be more than happy about the possibility of getting them either out of the sport or back down to a natural level.

What's the problem?

They don't want to ruin their future chances.

They don't want to ruin their future chances.


Looks like genetic doping is undectable in blood tests?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_doping

This is the first drug suspected to be used @ Torino in the gene doping category:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repoxygen

Lots of info on google... oh well.

:nono: :nono:

I'll second the Valverde and raise you the guy that was off the front of the world champs most of the last 15km and still beat everyone in the sprint...

Bettini

cyclists would be insane to resort to gene therapy based approaches-my understanding is that this is still in early clinical trials, and was sustantially limited by a trial a few years ago that ended up killing some participants. I can only imagine how risky this would be when done in secret for the sole purpose of increasing athletic performance.

If WADA is interested in obtaining DNA to establish genotypes supposedly prior to gene therapy modifications, and if that would reduce the chance that cyclists would resort to gene therapy then that would be a really important step--EPO killed a lot of cyclists in its early days-gene therapy aint orange juice even if the Dr Ferrari's of the world say otherwise...

I can't see where all the privacy concerns are. The price of having a job where you can earn millions should mean DNA testing. Why is everyone *****ing about it? Because the gravy train would be over for all of the top cyclists.

Funny thing is that if all cyclists were clean, then those at the top would most likely still be there. It's not like the drugs take a genetic inferior rider and make them superior.

Funny thing is that if all cyclists were clean, then those at the top would most likely still be there. It's not like the drugs take a genetic inferior rider and make them superior.

Not sure exactly what your point is but I agree that if all cyclists were clean then the guys at the top would still be the guys at the top. Drugs make a difference though. I've seen first hand what a bit of pot belge can do for a sprinter on a hilly course. This guy was breathing fire! The difference between the week before was amazing.

What's their problem with DNA testing? If I were a clean cyclist and thought my earnings were being eaten into by cheats then I'd be more than happy about the possibility of getting them either out of the sport or back down to a natural level.

What's the problem?Privacy has no value. Dignity has no value. The presumption of innocence has no value. On the other hand, as we've seen, dope testing adds nothing but value. No reason they should complain about being treated like criminals that I can see.

I don't see the big problem with it either. When i was in the Military you got poked and prodded with all types of needles, and DNA sampling was one of them. Why the military needed my DNA for is beyond me, probably creating a race of super-human war machines. I was never worried about privacy, and given the opportunity to race a bike for a living I would give a DNA sample, along with a semen sample :)

Maybe I don't understand the science of how DNA testing will catch people using chemicals? Don't tell me they will use to link guys with some dried up blood packs in Spain.

Privacy has no value. Dignity has no value. The presumption of innocence has no value. On the other hand, as we've seen, dope testing adds nothing but value. No reason they should complain about being treated like criminals that I can see.

You can take my blood. You can take my piss. You know my address and I have to tell you where I am at all times. They have no privacy anyway. If dignity lays in privacy then they have none already. If it lays in your public image as a group then they have none of then either.

The only chance pro-cycling has to regain any dignity is to show that it has effectively cleaned up (let's leave the UCI's bumbling out of this thread for the moment) and DNA testing is another tool in which to do that whether it be related to Op.P or the scandals of the future.

As I said before, I would gladly give a little more to help return my dignity.

Why the military needed my DNA for is beyond me
So mortuary affairs can identify the pieces.

Don't tell me they will use to link guys with some dried up blood packs in Spain.

That's exactly what they'll use it for, and to see if there has been any change in genetic makeup, presuming genetic doping takes off in the future.

If I was falsely accused of a crime and could be cleared through DNA testing I would jump at the chance and be grateful that the technology was there to help me.

Refusing to submit to DNA testing, especially for any riders implicated in Puerto, seems suspiciously evasive. The only way for someone like Basso to fully recapture my full confidence would be to agree to have his DNA compared with the Spanish blood samples.

Unless I'm missing something, it should be pretty black and white: either some of the blood from Fuentes lab was his or it wasn't, and even though the blood in question is mostly red cells, lab techs have already surmised that there's probably enough other genetic material in those samples to do a good test.

I was glad to see Basso may end up agreeing to DNA testing as a result of his new deal with Disco, as reported in today's Cycling News. It seems like the only way he can prove he's innocent.

I Googled the phrase and this was the first link

http://academic.udayton.edu/health/05bioethics/00rooker.htm

One day your children's DNA will be used to determine their educational opportunities, their career options, their access to health care and their breeding partner. Lets start building the data now, starting with athletes and other criminals.

I'm not predicting this will happen but there is a serious ethics issue here.

DNA will be used to determine their educational opportunities, their career options, their access to health care and their breeding partner.

That's why we have school, work and parties.

...work also helps for buying bikes.