Cyclingpost.com - WADA president Richard Pound on Hamilton

WADA president Richard Pound on Hamilton

By Aris Galatis
Fri, 6 May 2005 17:38:00

ATHENS, May 6 (CP) - WADA president Richard Pound gave an interview to the Greek radio station SKAI 100.3, referring to last summer's doping case of Tyler Hamilton as well as the discovery of a new anabolic substance. Pound confirmed that WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), has managed to discover a new steroid anabolic, which had been untracable till now. While the name of the steroid - or the way it was discovered - has not yet been announced, Pound did admit that although WADA is making big steps forward, the "cheaters" are still one step ahead, but he is confident that this will not be the case in the future. Referring to Tyler Hamilton and his scandal at last year's summer Olympics in Athens, Pound said that the president of the Greek laboratory (where the tests were held), as well as the International Olympic Committee did not react according to the standard procedures. The first mistake was that the blood sample of Hamilton was characterized as "suspicious" and not as positive for use of anabolic substances. Therefore the IOC didn't pay as much attention as they should have and together with this negligence, the second blood sample was destroyed as it was frozen, something which must not be done under normal circumstances. Pound concluded his interview, by saying that he was disappointed by the IOC and their decision of not charging Tyler Hamilton, while the UCI were forced to impose a blood test, which proved that he had used illegal substances during the period of the Olympics.