Stirling academic appointed to USA Cycling Anti-Doping Committee

Dr Paul Dimeo of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport has been appointed Chair of the USA Cycling Anti-Doping Committee.

The leading international anti-doping researcher will head up one of two new advisory boards, set up to support USA Cycling in its efforts to increase safety and ensure clean competition in American bike racing.

The new Anti-Doping Committee is comprised of eight experts who will help USA Cycling determine how it can best reduce banned doping practices within amateur and professional cycling in America.

The committee’s focus will be to determine the optimal level of testing to cost effectively create a credible deterrent, recommend what other actions USA Cycling can take to reduce doping (e.g., education) and evaluate the effectiveness of USA Cycling’s anti-doping efforts over time.

Dr Dimeo said: “I am very honoured to be invited to Chair this Committee, on the basis of research I have conducted into drug use among amateur and professional cycling in the USA. This is a unique and innovative approach to widening the scope of anti-doping. It will be fascinating to see how cyclists respond, and it could prove to be a model of good practice for other sports and other countries to follow.”