AFLD advisor: Doping tests should detect hematide this year

PARIS (Reuters) -- Doping tests should be able to detect hematide, the latest form of banned blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO), before the end of the year, a scientific advisor to the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) said on Thursday.

"Hematide is a form of EPO that I believe is being widely used," Michel Rieu told a media conference at AFLD headquarters.

"The World Anti-Doping Agency first had to come to an agreement with the laboratory (developing hematide) so that the molecule can be provided to the (anti-doping) laboratories so that a testing method could be implemented."

The two laboratories involved were the Lausanne (Switzerland) and Chatenay-Malabry (France), he added.

"There is a very good chance that hematide will be detectable this year," he said.

Hematide is a synthetic peptide which is not protein based and is therefore more stable. It does not need to be cooled down to five degrees Celsius but can be stored at room temperature.