As many of you are aware, David Anthony tested positive to EPO as a result of a USADA administered doping test after the Gran Fondo New York. Anthony was immediately removed from his BH Comedy Central team and the Board of Directors of CRCA have also voted to remove Anthony from the membership of the Association for bringing the club into disrepute. The vote was taken and passed in accordance with the By-Laws.
The CRCA Board of Directors considered this recent incident and in light of the positive test result from Lisban Quintero last year, decided that further action is required to address doping by our members. The club’s rules were and are clear about the need to follow all USAC rules, and this includes Policy II Medical Control which establishes a zero tolerance policy for doping. As a result the Board approved an Anti-Doping Policy that will apply to all members. You can read the policy here.
The policy:
– Contemplates in-competition testing of athletes at CRCA promoted races
– Contemplates random and targeted out of competition testing for Members, with penalties for failure to test
– Establishes a policy of an extended period of ineligibility for membership of the Association of double the sanction by USAC or other similar governing body
The Board has not had sufficient time to fully evaluate and determine the costs of the anticipated testing procedures or the logistics required to implement testing. As these details are known, we will communicate these to you. We anticipate working obtaining input on our plan from those with expertise in this complex area and may modify the planned testing based on that input.
The Policy is effective immediately.
Doping in sport is not only against the rules and the spirit of fair competition, it is also dangerous to an abusers health. Just as important is the negative impact on our sport, our club and our community. If you have suspicions about abuse of performance enhancing drugs, you can report suspected dopers by calling the Play Clean Line on 1-877-752-9253.
As always, the Board welcomes your input on our activities. Please feel free to contact any of the Board members with your comments or suggestions.