I think your right Daz H.Cycling is in a real mess and has just lost another major sponser(Telekom).Cycling does seem to be making more of an effort to clean up than athletics.Hence more people being caught.

One test they could include for athletes is the haematocrit.In well trained natural athletes this is approxamately 45%, with a haemoglobin of 15.8.For testing purposes a cutoff of say 46% and 16.2.Athletes with levels above these would suffer a suspension, until below the limits.

Cycling introduced the '50%' rule around 10 years ago.All that happened was athletes with a natural level of around 43%, took enough EPO(a red cell stimulator)to bring their cell count to 49%, and receive a huge boost in performance.

This test is not ideal.For instance blood doping(the removal and later the reintroduction of blood)wouldn't be revealed in such a test, unless just the red cells were removed.Additionally athletes may naturally be just above the cutoffs.Saying that the fittest Man I've ever seen on the fells(John Brown of Salford)had a haemoglobin level of 15.8, before the Hercules contest in 2003.He also returned a V02 of around 83ml/per kg.So the suggested cutoffs are reasonable.

This test alone would only help with blood boosting drugs(anabolic steroids,EPO etc).It wouldn't assist with others outside this group.

Thanks to the formites who've responded to my thread particulary my neighbour Luv Shack!