Under the spotlight during the last Tour de France, Tadej Pogacar notably recognizing that he used it, carbon monoxide was blacklisted by the UCI.
The mind-blowing performances achieved by Tadej Pogacar over the past several months have aroused suspicion, with some not hesitating to see the Slovenian as a new symbol of doping. However, apart from the records broken in series, there is no evidence to corroborate these accusations.
Like an over-medicalized peloton, most of the runners taking more authorized medications, Tadej Pogacar nevertheless seems evolve in a gray area and the use of carbon monoxide is the best illustration of this. During the last Tour de France, the media Escape Collective revealed that UAE Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike used carbon monoxide inhalation.
Will Tadej Pogacar listen to the UCI?
Questioned at a press conference, Tadej Pogacar appeared embarrassed, finally recognizing having used this practice but seeing no harm in it. “It’s a test at a high camp to see how you react to altitude. You have to do this test, which lasts two or three minutes. You breathe into a balloon for a minute, then you see the hemoglobin mass, then you have to repeat it two weeks later, he explained. But I only did the first part of the test, because the girl who was supposed to come after two weeks didn't come. It's not like we breathe exhaust every day in cars. It's just a pretty simple test to see how you respond to training at altitude. »
The International Cycling Union, however, does not seem to find this practice harmless. Meeting in a seminar, the UCI has in fact blacklisted carbon monoxide, asking the World Anti-Doping Agency to comment on this practice. “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 also officially asks the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to take a position on the use of this method by athletes.
It remains to be seen whether Tadej Pogacar and his team will agree with the UCI…
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