Positive Dope Test at Raid World Champs

Rob Howard / 11.02.2005

A short statement on the Raid Series website has announced the first positive drug test in adventure racing. It reads;

“Further to the doping test carried out at the arrival of the Raid World Championship on December 2nd in San Martin de los Andes, the sample N° 380469 has been declared positive.
The identity corresponding to this sample is Nadia Michel, member of team AXN Nike (ARG)."

"In accordance with the regulations applicable at the Raid World Championship this positive doping control would have had the immediate effect of disqualifying the team, had they not already been disqualified for unsportsmanlike behaviour.” - Sylvain Thuault/Race Director

The final sentence refers to the disqualification of the top Argentinean team for missing a CP and subsequently getting a local judge to confiscate all the race organisations computing equipment. (See our previous news story.) This new revelation has come 2 months after the race as the testing took some time, and the Raid Series organisers sought advice on how to handle the situation.

Though some might see this outcome as inevitable, with $250,000 prize money riding on the race, it’s a black day for adventure racing, and a further embarrassment for a successful team, with some heavyweight sponsors.

Michel, a 25 year old personal trainer from Buenos Aires, has previously won the Volcanos Circuit and placed highly in top South American races like Camdex and Ecomotion Pro. Last year she was on the winning team of the Desafío de los Volcanes race, which is organised by a team mate.