The positive doping test which puts Andrea Iannone in the hot seat raises questions about a discipline which, however, since 2018, has made the effort through a campaign to avoid exactly this type of situation. The outcome of the affair will therefore be closely followed as the doubts that Cal Crutchlow clearly expressed at the time resurface about the means actually deployed on the ground to counter the scourge. Words that resonate differently today, just like the response that the President of the FIM gave him then...
The 2018 Grand Prix season was launched under the seal of the fight against doping. The FIM medical director, Dr David McManus, and the FIM anti-doping coordinator, Evelyne Magnin, led briefings for Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP riders during the Qatar Grand Prix. They highlighted the dangers of doping and its consequences on health. Examples of prohibited substances had been shown.
Explanations were also given on the Athlete's Biological Passport, Therapeutic Use Authorizations and the ADAMS anti-doping management system. The pilots were also made aware of the e-learning platform (ADeL) and encouraged to participate in the ALPHA program (Athlete Learning Program about Health and Anti-Doping).
An operation thus commented on at the time by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO Dorna Sports: “ the FIM and Dorna have been working jointly on the subject for several years. To tell the truth, this is a very important topic, especially for the FIM as organizer of the World Championship. As our sport develops, the physical aspect occupies an increasingly important place. It therefore seemed essential to us to educate drivers about the correct behavior to have on and off the track in terms of anti-doping. »
The pilots, in a symbolic way, had materialized their mobilization on a board. A beautiful unit which was consumed when Cal Crutchlow arrived and spoke on crash.net: “ If you believe there are people here in the major sport of motorcycling who aren't trying to break these rules, then you are an idiot ". And he ends: “ I think the way the whole championship is handling this issue is not good. But what I'm saying here, I've been repeating it for four years already. »
Clearly, the opprobrium was launched. But against whom? The LCR pilot then gave some food for thought: “ there are voluntary monitoring procedures but very few make the effort to put them in place. How do we know if those who are not being followed are clean? Some have up to seven coaches! I don't understand. If they have nothing to reproach themselves for then why don't they have the courage to say that we can control them at any time? »
He also explained the current controls… “ It's a joke! I have only been checked once in 365 days and never after. Then only once after that. Finally, in the last two years, I have never been checked. Jack Miller, on the other hand, has been checked twice in the last three years. » But what type of doping would take place in Grand Prix? “ It's about rehydrating faster and controlling your weight. » explains the Englishman who ends: “ but this meeting was interesting. I listened and didn't learn anything I already know ". To meditate today…
The President of the FIM could have been annoyed by the position taken by the LCR driver. But instead, he chose to use the power of the offensive to absorb it and turn it back towards the cause: “ rather than harming us, Cal Crutchlow's words help us on the contrary » he assured on GPOne. “ We actually need more checks and this shows that the majority of pilots agree. Thus Marc Márquez would be the first declared volunteer to be checked every day. And that's because he wants to show that his performances are clean. »
So, what's the problem? “ It's the drivers' entourage who are holding back. They are afraid that we will wake up the pilots in the middle of the night and thus disturb them. In an ideal world, we should be able to control all the drivers, starting in Moto3. But for now, we are focusing on the elite MotoGP. This is the example to look at and follow. When you are at the top, you can be controlled systematically. »
