Despite the UCI's position on carbon monoxide, its use should not be banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which could leave the field open to those who use it, first and foremost Tadej Pogacar.
The file is reminiscent of that of ketones. The International Cyclist Union (UCI) may have recommended in 2019 not to use them, they continue to circulate in the peloton. So much so that most of the riders from the French teams, who have long been against this product, now use them like the top teams. The fault lies with the World Anti-Doping Agency, which has so far refused to ban them, due to a lack of consensus on their harmful effects.
This week, the UCI nevertheless spoke out during its seminar against the use of carbon monoxide, used by certain teams, including Team UAE-Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike, Tadej's teams. Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. “ Seminar participants were also informed of current knowledge on the effects of repeated inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO) on performance. The UCI clearly asks teams and riders not to resort to repeated inhalation of CO “, she said.
« Only the medical use of a single inhalation of CO in a controlled medical environment could be acceptable. The UCI is also officially asking the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to take a position on the use of this method by athletes,” she continued. And WADA's response was not long in coming, the Agency refusing to comment on this controversial practice since this summer and the revelations by the specialized site Escape collective on the use of carbon monoxide by three Tour teams, Israel-Premier Tech, UAE Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike.
“Exposure to carbon monoxide has been raised several times by the WADA Prohibited Substances List Expert Advisory Group”WADA said, adding: “There is no general consensus on whether CO can have a performance-enhancing effect, and there is no sufficiently robust data to support this proposition. » Who leaves the field open to the teams even if Jonas Vingegaard has already announced that he will no longer use it “if the UCI prohibits it”.
