Woken for doping test in the middle of the night: – An extreme measure

The practice of doping control has sparked controversy during the Tour de France, with cyclists Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard being woken for tests in the early hours of the morning.

According to reports, Vingegaard was tested at 2 a.m. and Pogacar at 5 a.m. on Sunday. TV 2 cycling expert Mads Kaggestad commented that such measures typically require "high suspicion" to be justified.

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Yes, you heard right. At 2 a.m., they knocked on my door. At first, I thought they weren't allowed to do that. But apparently, it is allowed.

L'Équipe reported that the tests were prompted by "serious and persistent suspicion" and a "risk of evidence tampering." Vingegaard confirmed the early morning test, telling media, "Yes, you heard right. At 2 a.m., they knocked on my door. At first, I thought they weren't allowed to do that. But apparently, it is allowed."

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Tadej handled it well, but I find it almost inhuman and crazy.

Pogacar's teammate, Florian Vermeersch, described the situation as "almost inhuman and crazy," though Pogacar reportedly handled the test well. Kaggestad explained that top athletes are often placed on a "red list" for targeted testing, but late-night tests suggest a more specific concern, possibly related to a particular substance with a narrow detection window.

Kaggestad noted that these tests could be part of a larger investigation, with the night test potentially providing a crucial piece of evidence. He acknowledged the drastic nature of testing athletes during intense competition, emphasizing the importance of sleep for performance. "Definitely. When they have gone to a judge and received permission to do it, then it is drastic, and it can be very damaging to the athletes who depend on sleep to perform," Kaggestad stated.

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Doping hunters must argue with high suspicion for such a measure.

He also pointed out the limitations of current doping tests, suggesting that night testing might narrow the window for athletes to use banned substances. Kaggestad expressed a hope that anti-doping efforts could evolve to eliminate the need for such intrusive measures, though the International Testing Agency (ITA) has reportedly acknowledged the necessity of night testing in certain circumstances.

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Definitely. When they have gone to a judge and received permission to do it, then it is drastic, and it can be very damaging to the athletes who depend on sleep to perform.