The cycling governing body will, from now on, prevent riders from becoming part of cycling competitions in case they show low levels of cortisol.
The UCI has also announced that, starting from 2019, it won’t allow the use of analgesic Tramadol when competing. Tramadol, a well known painkiller, has been widely used in the cycling world. According to a recently-published report by World Anti-Doping Agency, there have been too many cases of clear evidence over the past years of pro cyclists using this drug during races.
Since it might cause serious side effects which include dizziness, addiction, and drowsiness, the UCI has decided to ban this supplement starting from next season.
Low Cortisol Levels
On the other hand, it is a known fact that the use of corticosteroids for asthma can potentially lead to low cortisol levels.
This is the main reason why now, the UCI is claiming that it would be a “medical contraindication for competition”. According to them, it would be impossible for riders to start the competition with such low cortisol levels.
According to the UCI, the new rule for glucocorticoids will become effective starting from January 1, 2019.
In recent years, corticosteroids have become famous after the Fancy Bears hacks revealed that in 2012, the Tour de France winner, Bradley Wiggins, had had a “therapeutic use of Triamcinolone” with the main intention to treat allergies and asthma.
