Rock Racing today announced Scott Analytics, Inc. as the team’s anti-doping partner. The team will participate in the company’s new Athlete Passport Program, a testing methodology that ensures athletes are in compliance with anti-doping regulations by monitoring biological markers in urine and blood.

“Rock Racing is proud to partner with Scott Analytics in our commitment to change this sport for the better,” said Team Owner Michael Ball. “The Athlete Passport Program will ensure the integrity of our team and reinforce our position that all of our riders should be eligible to race.”

Similar in scope to the UCI Passport Program, the Athlete Passport Program consists of approximately twelve blood collections per rider per year, monitoring biological markers indicative of possible blood doping,  and approximately four urine and serum collections per rider per year, monitoring biological markers indicative of anabolic or hormone doping.

The program was developed by anti-doping researcher and Scott Analytics Founder and President, Paul Scott, who also served as Director of Clients at the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory and Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Agency for Cycling Ethics, Inc.

“We are thrilled to have Rock Racing on board at the launch of our program,” Scott said. “Rock Racing and Team Owner Michael Ball are serious about the ethical conduct of their riders and we are proud to support the team’s commitment to fairness.”
 
The implementation of Rock Racing’s testing program follows the conclusion of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California where three of the team’s riders – American Tyler Hamilton, Colombian Santiago Botero and Spaniard Oscar Sevilla - were banned from competition in a controversial decision by race organizer, AEG, citing open doping investigations as the basis. All three had previously received clearance from their respective national federations confirming they were not the subject of any current investigations and were free and clear to race.