"...I would be extremely surprised if the AERC testing protocol is
much different that that used by the AHSA or I guess it USEF now or that
used in SEDRA..."
Now I am confused. Assuming that you are
right (I suspect you are, but do not know), are you contending that AHSA, USEF,
and SEDRA are also not testing for the proper substances? Or are you contending
that since AERC is concerned about substances which are minor problems in
your view, they ignore positive results for when they find the same substances
that AHSA etc. get their knickers in a twist about? My reading of Rule 13
is that it would prohibit any substance on any list that is used or could be
used by any organization, and at lower levels, if the other org. had some
"action" level.
I just quickly looked at rides attended in the data
base, and found that I have been between 2 and 3 times as lucky as you when it
comes to drug testing (I have always welcomed tests). I suspect that
an average experience is somewhere in between. I will agree that the
chances of being tested should be between 5 and 10 times what it is now, if it
is to be an effective deterrent for semi honest competitors. I think we
both agree that actively dishonest competitors will always try to see what they
can get away with.
One of my non-endurance vets once had a similar
reaction to the AERC rule that you report. Upon further questioning, it
turned out that she/he just didn't believe that any organization would even
think about being that strict, because it did not make medical sense to him/her,
not that it somehow was going to increase cheating.
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower
Road Victor, MT 59875
