McQuaid promises tougher measures

CYCLING: REACTING TO this week's positive test result of Tour de France podium finisher and King of the Mountains Bernhard Kohl, Pat McQuaid has said that tougher measures against doping would be in place in 2009.

The Irish president of the UCI, cycling's world governing body, said that the positive tests for Cera by Kohl, Gerolsteiner team-mate Stefan Schumacher and Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval) showed that riders were still willing to cheat. However, he said there were signs the incidence of doping in the peloton had dropped. Among the new measures McQuaid indicated would be put in place is a doubling of the maximum ban from two to four years.

"I have said before that I would like to see them (dopers) out of the sport for good," he told The Irish Times this week. "That is purely on a personal level. However, we are obliged to follow the world anti-doping code, and that is what the UCI will do."

The punishment for doping will consequently increase but so too, according to McQuaid, will the actual detection rate. The UCI introduced a "biological passport" this season, doing a series of longitudinal tests on riders to closely monitor their blood and hormone profiles. "We will continue with the development of the programme right through the winter and into the spring and summer of next year," he said.

IOC vice-president Thomas Bach recently called for cycling to be excluded from the Games. McQuaid said he was happy with Jacques Rogge's response, the Olympic president stating that he would not throw out a sport which was taking serious measures to fight doping.

FIXTURES

Saturday:Cyclo-cross open, Banbridge.

Sunday:Women's Commission agm, starts 3pm in West County Hotel.

Monday:Road Commission agm, starts 8pm in Cregan Court Hotel, Athlone.