In November 2019, following information and documents received from the Austrian law enforcement authorities as part of the Aderlass investigation1, The Aderlass investigation, also known as Aderlass Operation, was a wide-ranging doping investigation carried out by the Austrian and German law enforcement authorities in February 2019. As a result of the investigation, a German sports physician, Dr. Mark Schmidt was identified as being the central figure of the now dismantled doping network operating across different countries and sports.
the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), cycling’s governing body, requested that the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) reanalyse samples taken during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Based on further information received from law enforcement authorities and a comprehensive overall assessment, the CADF not only conducted the required reanalysis but also expanded the retesting to include samples as far back as 2013 and until 2019.
In advance of the retesting, the CADF – further to consulting the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – conducted a thorough scientific assessment using a group of external experts and an in-depth review of the riders and collected samples, which led to the analysis of more than 800 in- and out-of-competition blood and urine samples, with 50% of the samples from 2016 and 2017. This resulted in no adverse analytical findings being reported to the CADF. It can also be confirmed that the reanalysed blood samples were screened, among a wide range of forbidden substances, for haemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs), a prohibited method under M1.1 of the WADA Prohibited List, to which H7379, a preparation of lyophilized human haemoglobin, belongs.
The results have been shared with WADA and the Austrian law enforcement authorities for their due review. Details of the analysis performed can be found in the note below.
This complex project, made even more challenging by the ongoing pandemic, entailed significant investment by the CADF and the cycling families both in terms of workforce and financially. It should also be noted that such a project was only made possible owing to the long-term storage policy for samples implemented by the CADF in 2015.
With an eye to being as cost- and time-efficient as possible and considering all logistical aspects, the reanalyses were principally carried out at the Cologne laboratory, Germany, which was supported by six other WADA-accredited laboratories. In addition to the testing protocols, the Cologne laboratory recorded and stored a comprehensive dataset obtained from urine samples with high resolution mass spectrometry, which will allow in the future the re-evaluation of this data for possible detection of doping substances unknown at the time of the doping control.
"With the challenges that this project presented in terms of scale and complexity, in the demanding context of the pandemic, it required a great deal of work by the CADF team, our group of highly skilled external experts, the WADA-accredited laboratories and the partners involved in the project," said CADF Director Olivier Banuls. "I want to thank each and every one of them for their dedication and professionalism as well as the cycling families’ continuous support in the fight to keep the sport of cycling clean. Finally, I would like to reiterate that these stored samples can be reanalysed again anytime if necessary."
The CADF wishes to make it clear that although no adverse analytical finding (AAF) has been reported at this stage, there is no final conclusion to be drawn from the reanalysis. Indeed, the reanalysed samples have been put in long-term storage for possible retesting should any new intelligence or further scientific developments emerge. The CADF, and the International Testing Agency (ITA) from 1 January 2021, will continue their work with all the relevant authorities to ensure that there is a level playing field in the sport of cycling.
Notes regarding the analysis performed and corresponding class as per the WADA prohibited list:
Reanalyses from urine samples (around 700 samples):
S2.1.2: Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) activating agents (e.g. IOX-2)
M1.2: Methods for artificially enhancing the uptake, transport or delivery of oxygen (e.g. Myo-inositol trispyrophosphate)
S4.5.2: Metabolic modulators (e.g. insulins)
S2.2.2: Corticotrophins and their releasing factors (e.g. synachten)
S2.2.3: Analogues of growth hormone releasing hormones (e.g. tesamorelin)
S2.3: IGF-1 analogues (e.g. Long-R3 IGF-1)
S2.3: Growth factors and growth factor modulators (e.g. TB 500)
S2.2.1: Luteinising hormone and its releasing factors (e.g. Gonadorelin)
Reanalyses from blood serum samples (around 100 samples):
S4.5.2: Metabolic modulators (e.g. insulins)
S2.2.2: Corticotrophins and their releasing factors (e.g. synacthen)
S2.2.3: Analogues of growth hormone releasing hormones (e.g. tesamorelin)
S2.3: IGF-1 analogues (e.g. Long-R3 IGF-1)
M1.2: Methods for artificially enhancing the uptake, transport or delivery of oxygen (e.g. Haemoglobin based oxygen carriers)
1 The Aderlass investigation, also known as Aderlass Operation, was a wide-ranging doping investigation carried out by the Austrian and German law enforcement authorities in February 2019. As a result of the investigation, a German sports physician, Dr. Mark Schmidt, was identified as being the central figure of the now dismantled doping network operating across different countries and sports.
CONTACT:
For more information, please contact the CADF Media Team at media@cadf.ch
or visit our website at www.cadf.ch
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