ROTH, Germany—As part of their continued fight against doping in sport, organisers of this weekend’s seventh Quelle Challenge Roth have expanded their drug testing program to include pre-race tests along with post-race sampling.
Athletes participating in the race have typically undergone urine tests after the race. Last year, 26 athletes were tested for banned substances, including the blood-boosting agent EPO—the top three men and women, the winners of the German long-distance championships contested as part of the race, and eight professionals at random. In a first in 2007, 10 age group athletes were also tested at random.
This year, 60 pre-race blood tests also will be administered to professionals signed on for the race, said race director Felix Walchshöfer. The tests, conducted in cooperation with the German anti-doping agency NADA and the World Anti-Doping Agency, will be followed up with another urine test if any irregularities are shown. The tests aim to ensure that, as Walchshöfer says, “the world’s largest triathlon remains a clean competition.”
Quelle Challenge Roth’s sponsors include: Quelle AG, Deutsche Post AG, N-ERGIE, Sponser, Sparkasse Mittelfranken-Süd, Bayrische Versicherungskammer, Erdinger Alkoholfrei, Wöhrl, Arndt, Fiegl & Konrad, Hofmann, Mavic, Nürnberger Nachrichten (Nürnberg Newspapers), County of Roth, City of Roth, City of Hilpoltstein, Pyraser, B&C, Arvena Hotels, Frankenbrunnen, Heinloth, Der Beck, Jura Kälte and Guttenberger & Partner.
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