. New Tests to Detect EPO Use." Blood Doping. http://www.wdn.com/mirkin/fc51.html ) However, the problem lies with being able to detect that an athlete is in fact undergoing blood doping procedures. How can you say what constitutes an abnormally high red blood cell level? In addition, how do you distinguish between blood doping athletes and those athletes who boost their hemoglobin levels by training at high altitudes? There is no answer to either of these questions. As of now, there are no foolproof tests for an athlete who blood dope. The agencies that have banned this practice will have to rely on the integrity of the athletes, coaches, and their medical support personnel to comply with their ruling.A new invention by a University of Colorado at Boulder professor only adds to the controversy of blood doping. Igor Gamow, an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, has invented a sleep chamber that may enable endurance athletes to, in effect, train while they sleep (Profs Invention to Train Athletes While They Sleep." Blood Doping. http://spot.colorado.edu./~gamow/bedpr.html (9 Mar. 1997). ). The chamber mimics the reduced air pressure of high altitudes and stimulates the production of red blood cells. This enables an athlete training at sea level to gain the same fitness advantage as an athlete living at high altitude. If this chamber is used correctly (six to eight hours a day for two to three weeks), the hemoglobin concentration can be boosted by more than 23%. Because the High Altitude Bed is legal, safe and natural; this procedure of red blood cell enhancement is called Holistic Blood Doping "(Effects of Blood Doping and Gamows High Altitude Bed." Blood Doping. http://spot.colorado.edu/~gamow/doping.html)At the present time blood, doping is a controversial issue. With the new advances in science and sports medicine, this will probably be a dilemma for years to come. Many present and future athletes will have to use their best...
