Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/1998285/olympic-games-bike-cheats-face-tests-says-international-cycling
Sport/ Other Sport

Olympic Games bike cheats face tests, says International Cycling Union chief Brian Cookson

The technology was deployed at this year’s Tour de France and involves the use of scanning devices and thermal imaging

Riders during the 2016 Tour de France. Photo: AP

Testing technology developed to catch cheats using hidden motors in cycling races will be used during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, cycling federation chief Brian Cookson said.

“There will be an extensive programme of testing throughout the Games,” said Cookson, who is head of the International Cycling Union, referring to technical cheating that involves installing tiny hidden motors on competition bicycles.

The technology was deployed at this year’s Tour de France.

“We will be doing the full test, we have all our equipment here, it will be pretty much the same as during the Tour de France,” Cookson said.

Riders test runs the road cycling course for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: Kyodo
Riders test runs the road cycling course for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: Kyodo

Testing involves the use of scanning devices and thermal imaging but also can include “invasive testing from time to time,” he added.

Referring to uncertainty about the participation at the Olympics of some Russian competitors following allegations of state state-sponsored doping, Cookson said his federation had passed on to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) all the information it had concerning allegations of doping against Russian cyclists.

It was now up to the IOC to determine who should be allowed to compete, he added.

Three Russian cyclists – Ilnur Zakarin, Olga Zabelinskaya and Sergey Shilov – have been banned from the Rio Games as a result of previous doping convictions.

Three others, who have not been identified by the federation, are also expected to be excluded.