Danny
21-07-2004, 07:19 PM
By Jake Niall
July 21, 2004
Real Footy
The AFL is likely to introduce some limited form of blood testing in the near future, although a league medical expert believes there is little chance players are using the blood-doping drug, erythropoietin, or EPO.
The league is also all but certain to begin testing players for human growth hormone (HGH) as soon as the World Anti-Doping Agency has a test for HGH at its disposal.
But should the AFL introduce a blood test for EPO, as expected, the testing is likely to be limited to players who rely on their aerobic fitness, such as midfielders.
Detecting EPO is most effective through blood testing, rather than the urine test that is used detect anabolic steroids and other banned substances.
EPO boosts red blood-cell production and allows athletes to artificially improve their endurance. It has been most prevalent in international cycling.
AFL medical officer Dr Peter Harcourt, who is responsible for developing the league's drug code, said he expected the AFL would introduce blood testing that would complement the urine testing it already does.
Harcourt doubted, however, that it was feasible for AFL players to take EPO, given the significant medical supervision and infrastructure required to administer the drug, which has significant health risks for athletes and has been the cause of numerous deaths in European cycling.
"It would be very difficult to do it (use EPO) in the club environment," Harcourt said.
"It requires a high level of supervision of people with medical background . . . You couldn't keep it quiet."
Harcourt said EPO would be extremely expensive and thus only a tiny fraction of AFL players - "probably the top 1 per cent" - could contemplate using it by themselves, outside of the club.
He said testing would have to be targeted, with "aerobic" players singled out. "You'd probably be targeting midfielders and your running-type players," Harcourt said.
The cost of blood testing was also a consideration. Each drug test costs the AFL about $500 and, if a blood test was run in conjunction with a urine test, that amount would "probably double".
"We will introduce something at some stage, but it's not a high priority," Harcourt said.
Blood testing would have to be approved by the AFL Players Association, though Harcourt thought it unlikely that the players would block such a move. "Most of the AFL players don't have a problem with blood testing," he said.
The World Anti-Doping Agency had an HGH test "in the pipeline" and, according to Harcourt, this should be available to the AFL "within a year or two."
HGH is not detectable at the moment.
Harcourt said the AFL was "very aligned" to WADA and probably would follow the international anti-doping body's lead on HGH.
July 21, 2004
Real Footy
The AFL is likely to introduce some limited form of blood testing in the near future, although a league medical expert believes there is little chance players are using the blood-doping drug, erythropoietin, or EPO.
The league is also all but certain to begin testing players for human growth hormone (HGH) as soon as the World Anti-Doping Agency has a test for HGH at its disposal.
But should the AFL introduce a blood test for EPO, as expected, the testing is likely to be limited to players who rely on their aerobic fitness, such as midfielders.
Detecting EPO is most effective through blood testing, rather than the urine test that is used detect anabolic steroids and other banned substances.
EPO boosts red blood-cell production and allows athletes to artificially improve their endurance. It has been most prevalent in international cycling.
AFL medical officer Dr Peter Harcourt, who is responsible for developing the league's drug code, said he expected the AFL would introduce blood testing that would complement the urine testing it already does.
Harcourt doubted, however, that it was feasible for AFL players to take EPO, given the significant medical supervision and infrastructure required to administer the drug, which has significant health risks for athletes and has been the cause of numerous deaths in European cycling.
"It would be very difficult to do it (use EPO) in the club environment," Harcourt said.
"It requires a high level of supervision of people with medical background . . . You couldn't keep it quiet."
Harcourt said EPO would be extremely expensive and thus only a tiny fraction of AFL players - "probably the top 1 per cent" - could contemplate using it by themselves, outside of the club.
He said testing would have to be targeted, with "aerobic" players singled out. "You'd probably be targeting midfielders and your running-type players," Harcourt said.
The cost of blood testing was also a consideration. Each drug test costs the AFL about $500 and, if a blood test was run in conjunction with a urine test, that amount would "probably double".
"We will introduce something at some stage, but it's not a high priority," Harcourt said.
Blood testing would have to be approved by the AFL Players Association, though Harcourt thought it unlikely that the players would block such a move. "Most of the AFL players don't have a problem with blood testing," he said.
The World Anti-Doping Agency had an HGH test "in the pipeline" and, according to Harcourt, this should be available to the AFL "within a year or two."
HGH is not detectable at the moment.
Harcourt said the AFL was "very aligned" to WADA and probably would follow the international anti-doping body's lead on HGH.