Stirling Uni prof joins US sports drugs test board
A senior sports lecturer at the University of Stirling has been appointed to an influential role on an American anti-doping committee.
Dr Paul Dimeo, 44, will work as part of a team to ensure clean competition in American bike racing having been named Chair of the USA Cycling Anti-Doping Committee.
In the role he will join other academics and anti-doping experts to find new and innovative ways to increase and improve drug testing in the sport.
One of the primary aims of the committee is to increase testing of ‘category two’ and ‘category three’ riders – those who compete just below elite level.
Dr Dimeo said: “We’ve discussed adding a levy of £3 to the USA Cycling membership fee which will help fund additional testing.
“Currently the elite ‘category one’ riders are tested but below that it tends to be more sporadic, target testing.
“We know that there are people who do take banned substances, as riders have tested positive before, but without testing we simply can’t be definitive.
“If the riders know that we are increasing the testing then they are less likely to do it as they know they will be caught.
“It is also important to improve the education and awareness of doping and banned substances among these athletes.
“I’m very pleased to be on the committee. We’re always encouraged to take our research and work in to the real world so to speak.
“I will be going out to USA from time-to-time but a lot of the work will be done remotely over Skype and video conferencing.”
Dr Dimeo’s appointment comes as the anti-doping committee goes through a number of changes with USA Cycling welcoming a new Chief Executive.
The academic has lectured on anti-doping for a number of years in addition to writing an acclaimed study titled ‘A History of Drug Use in Sport, 1876 - 1976: Beyond Good and Evil’ and a number of other papers.
He has been lecturing at the University of Stirling since 2002 and has been analysing the topic of anti-doping in sport for around 12 years.
Dr Dimeo added: “I was in Austin on the day that USA AntiDoping published their report into Lance Armstrong so I was very close to the action in a sense.
“I went out and about, speaking to people who loved him (Armstrong), and it was fascinating. My interest really grew from there.
“I read about a few more cases and wanted to know more about the reasons people do it and what their motivation is. I’ve found that it’s not quite as obvious as you might think.”
Professor Gerry McCormack, Principal and Vice-Chancellor at the University, insists he’s delighted that Dr Dimeo will head up the USA Cycling AntiDoping Committee.
He said: “We’re delighted the impact of our research is recognised and is contributing significantly to the debate on doping in sport.”
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) founder and anti-doping authority Dick Pound attended the University of Stirling for a special guest lecture last week.
The lecture titled “The Big Sporting Question: doping in sport, is there a way forward?” saw Mr Pound speak about whistleblowers and how they need to be better protected.