Biological passport
Encyclopedia
An athlete biological passport is an individual, electronic record for professional athletes, in which profiles of biological markers of doping and results of doping tests are collated over a period of time. Doping violations can be detected by noting variances from an athlete’s established levels outside permissible limits, rather than testing for and identifying illegal substances.
Although the terminology athlete passport is recent, the use of biological markers of doping has a long history in anti-doping. Maybe the first marker of doping, that tries to detect a prohibited substance not based on its presence in urine or blood, but through the induced deviations in biological parameters, is the so-called testosterone over epitestosterone ratio (T/E). The T/E has been used by sports authorities since the beginning of the 1980s to detect anabolic steroid
s in urine samples. A decade later, in 1997, markers of blood doping were introduced by some international federations, such the Union Cycliste Internationale
and the Federation Internationale de Ski, to deter the abuse of recombinant erythropoietin
that was undetectable by direct means at that time. It is only in 2002 that the paradigm to use biological markers of doping took the terminology athlete passport. The merits of this testing paradigm were exposed in the scientific literature and the terminology adopted by the World Anti-Doping agency.
Many believe that the athlete passport provides an excellent alternative to ensure fairness in elite sports. While a new drug test
must be developed and validated for each new drug, the main advantage of the athlete passport is that it is based on the stability of the physiology of the human being. New drugs are produced at an unprecedented pace today and there is often a lag of several years between the availability of a new drug and the application of an effective detection method. On the contrary, the physiology of the human being remains the same through several generations and all biomarkers developed today in the athlete passport will remain valid for at least several decades. For example, the blood module of the passport is already sensitive today to any new future form of recombinant erythropoietin
, as well as to any form of gene doping
that will enhance oxygen transfer to the muscles. Also, while a negative drug test
does not necessarily mean that the athlete did not dope, the athlete can present his/her passport at the beginning of a competition to attest that he/she will compete in his/her natural, unaltered condition.
The athlete passport has received a lot of attention when its blood module was established at the beginning of the 2008 racing season by the Union Cycliste Internationale
. In May 2008 the UCI revealed that 23 riders were under suspicion of doping following the first phase of blood tests conducted under the new biological passport. In 2010, the athlete's passport took a new meaning when designer drug
s such as recombinant erythropoietin
and anabolic steroid
s having the same molecular structure as those naturally produced by the body became available.
The blood module of the athlete passport aims to detect any form of blood doping
, the steroid module any form of doping with anabolic steroid
and the endocrine module any modification of the growth hormone
/IGF-1 axis. Each of these modules are however at different steps of development, validation and application in sports.
to sanction riders for committing an anti-doping rule violation. Riders have also been targeted with further doping controls based on their biological passport.
Although the terminology athlete passport is recent, the use of biological markers of doping has a long history in anti-doping. Maybe the first marker of doping, that tries to detect a prohibited substance not based on its presence in urine or blood, but through the induced deviations in biological parameters, is the so-called testosterone over epitestosterone ratio (T/E). The T/E has been used by sports authorities since the beginning of the 1980s to detect anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
s in urine samples. A decade later, in 1997, markers of blood doping were introduced by some international federations, such the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
and the Federation Internationale de Ski, to deter the abuse of recombinant erythropoietin
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
that was undetectable by direct means at that time. It is only in 2002 that the paradigm to use biological markers of doping took the terminology athlete passport. The merits of this testing paradigm were exposed in the scientific literature and the terminology adopted by the World Anti-Doping agency.
Many believe that the athlete passport provides an excellent alternative to ensure fairness in elite sports. While a new drug test
Drug test
A drug test is a technical analysis of a biological specimen – for example urine, hair, blood, sweat, or oral fluid / saliva – to determine the presence or absence of specified parent drugs or their metabolites...
must be developed and validated for each new drug, the main advantage of the athlete passport is that it is based on the stability of the physiology of the human being. New drugs are produced at an unprecedented pace today and there is often a lag of several years between the availability of a new drug and the application of an effective detection method. On the contrary, the physiology of the human being remains the same through several generations and all biomarkers developed today in the athlete passport will remain valid for at least several decades. For example, the blood module of the passport is already sensitive today to any new future form of recombinant erythropoietin
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
, as well as to any form of gene doping
Gene doping
Gene doping is defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency as "the non-therapeutic use of cells, genes, genetic elements, or of the modulation of gene expression, having the capacity to improve athletic performance". A complex ethical and philosophical issue is what defines "gene doping", especially...
that will enhance oxygen transfer to the muscles. Also, while a negative drug test
Drug test
A drug test is a technical analysis of a biological specimen – for example urine, hair, blood, sweat, or oral fluid / saliva – to determine the presence or absence of specified parent drugs or their metabolites...
does not necessarily mean that the athlete did not dope, the athlete can present his/her passport at the beginning of a competition to attest that he/she will compete in his/her natural, unaltered condition.
The athlete passport has received a lot of attention when its blood module was established at the beginning of the 2008 racing season by the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
. In May 2008 the UCI revealed that 23 riders were under suspicion of doping following the first phase of blood tests conducted under the new biological passport. In 2010, the athlete's passport took a new meaning when designer drug
Designer drug
Designer drug is a term used to describe drugs that are created to get around existing drug laws, usually by preparing analogs or derivatives of existing drugs by modifying their chemical structure to varying degrees, or less commonly by finding drugs with entirely different chemical structures...
s such as recombinant erythropoietin
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
and anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
s having the same molecular structure as those naturally produced by the body became available.
The blood module of the athlete passport aims to detect any form of blood doping
Blood doping
Blood doping is the practice of boosting the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream in order to enhance athletic performance. Because such blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, a higher concentration in the blood can improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity and...
, the steroid module any form of doping with anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
and the endocrine module any modification of the growth hormone
Growth hormone
Growth hormone is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. Growth hormone is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior...
/IGF-1 axis. Each of these modules are however at different steps of development, validation and application in sports.
Cyclists sanctioned on the basis of their biological passport
The biological passport programme has allowed the Union Cycliste InternationaleUnion Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
to sanction riders for committing an anti-doping rule violation. Riders have also been targeted with further doping controls based on their biological passport.
- Igor AstarloaIgor AstarloaIgor Astarloa Askasibar is a retired cyclist from Spain.-Career:Astarloa turned professional with the Italian cycling team and enjoyed his best season in 2003 with team when he won the Flèche Wallonne and the road race title at the World Cycling Championships at Hamilton, Canada...
received a two-year sanction as a result of abnormalities detected in his biological passport. - Pietro CaucchioliPietro CaucchioliPietro Caucchioli is an Italian professional road racing cyclist. Caucchioli is under suspension, since June 2009, following abnormal testing results within the Union Cycliste Internationale's biological passport system.His two stage wins at the 2001 Giro d'Italia and a podium finish at the 2002...
received a two-year sanction as a result of abnormalities detected in his biological passport. - Antonio ColomAntonio ColomAntonio Colom Mas is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer from Bunyola. He is a specialist in short stage races, having won the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in 2006, the Vuelta a Mallorca in 2004 and the Vuelta a Andalucía in 2002....
tested positive for EPOErythropoietinErythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
in an out-of-competition control in April 2009, after having been targeted under the biological passport programme. He received a two-year sanction. - Francesco De BonisFrancesco De BonisFrancesco De Bonis is an Italian road bicycle racer. In 2008 he won the fourth stage of the Tour de Romandie....
received a two-year sanction as a result of abnormalities detected in his biological passport. - Thomas DekkerThomas Dekker (cyclist)Thomas Dekker is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for Garmin-Cervélo’s development team, Chipotle Development Team. His career highlights include winning Tirreno-Adriatico in 2006 and Tour de Romandie in 2007...
tested positive for EPOErythropoietinErythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
in a retroactive test carried out on a urine sample taken in December 2007. Dekker's hematological profile led the UCI to review the EPO analyses for urine samples conducted since the introduction of the biological passport programme. - Franco PellizottiFranco PellizottiFranco Pellizotti is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, currently suspended from the sport....
received a two-year sanction as a result of abnormalities detected in his biological passport. - Ricardo SerranoRicardo SerranoRicardo Serrano Gonzalez is a Spanish racing cyclist under suspension since June 2009 following abnormal testing results within the Union Cycliste Internationale's biological passport system.- Professional record :...
received a two-year sanction after being caught under the UCI's biological passport programme. Evidence against Serrano was based on an abnormal haematological profile and two laboratory reports indicating the detection of CERA in two of his blood samples. - Tadej ValjavecTadej ValjavecTadej Valjavec is a Slovenian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Continental team Zheroquadro Radenska. He is well known as a good climber due to his rides on mountain stages in the Giro d'Italia...
received a two-year sanction as a result of abnormalities detected in his biological passport.