Out-of-competition drug testing in trail running is non-existent – time for the IAAF and ITRA to step up
- Some large races test the leading athletes, but in-competition testing is not effective
- One of the governing bodies needs to step up and become the de facto leader
Trail and ultra running have exploded in popularity in the last decade, and with the exponential increase in participation comes money. The elite runners are now all professional athletes and their feats match those performed in any other endurance sport.
Where the comparisons stall between the professional trail runners and their other sporting compatriots is oversight. There is next to no random out-of-competition drug testing in trail running.
Trail running may be completely clean, or drug cheats may be rampant. We have absolutely no idea and can only speculate, although there have been instances of failed drug tests.
Yes, some of the most important races conduct tests on the winners. Organisers of the Western States 100 (WS100) and the Marathon des Sables, for example, test the winners, but it should not be their job. In-competition tests are very easy to avoid as runners know they are coming. Secondly, there are few other sports where the individual event organiser, and not the governing body, is expected to test the athletes.
Who governs the sport?
