Not sure what you expect, but it is. The new glasses maybe?
https://www.google.com/search?q=dieter+baumann&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjL5M_Zmf7LAhVW52MKHXzKCQkQ_AUICCgC&biw=1146&bih=635Fun stuff, as always.
Since the beginning of the biopassport sickness has been used to explain away suspicious fluctuations in scores. To review:
-The athlete gives blood samples, the passport is established and levels are monitored.
-If the computer program detects a "suspicious" value, the athlete is given a chance to give a written explanation to the review panel.
-A case is opened only if all three panelists agree to open a case. WADA's words are
The athlete's data, athlete's written explanation, context of racing, altitude or other circumstances are all used as evidence.
That first step is never public. The panel's request for more information, the procedure prior to opening a case, is never made known to the media or in any kind of release. And a case is only opened if all three panelists agree to open one.
The panelists don't open a case if there is any doubt. Things like altitude, malaria, bilharzia, and hypothyroidism (and dehydration probably, but there was no Panel or BP process yet during Radcliffe's WC race...) have been shown to be acceptable excuses for suspicious values. (That's not to mention what the excuses that haven't been made public...)
Let's start with an extreme example. Roman Kreuziger, caught while riding for Mr. 60% Hct's himself, Bjarne Riis.
Ret%
http://kreuziger.a1.esports.cz/wp-content/uploads/APB_Kreuziger_Roman_1_vysvetlivky.jpgHGB
http://kreuziger.a1.esports.cz/wp-content/uploads/APB_Kreuziger_Roman_2-hemoglobin-KRIVKA.jpgDates of tests here:
http://kreuziger.a1.esports.cz/wp-content/uploads/ABP_RK.pdfShort version: tests number 46, 47.48.and 49 show the jump in HGB (and HCT) during a Grand Tour:
Sample 46 03-05-2012 Pre-Giro 15 1,46%
Sample 47 14-05-2012 Giro 14,5 1,44%
Sample 48 20-05-2012 Giro 14,8 1,52%
Sample 49 24-05-2012 Giro 16,1 1,4%
Kreuziger's HCT went from 43.2 to 48.1 in 10 days DURING the Giro. That kind of rise only happens with doping. The levels are supposed to drop during periods of hard efforts.
Very obvious he's doping. UCI opens case, which it only does if it knows it is a slam dunk. Case still goes through hell of appeals, National Federation rejections of case, team's banning of RK and then unbanning.
Long story short: he's still riding, and never faced a sanction.
What was his defense? Hypothyroidism. WADA agreed, and UCI ended up dropping the case. (http://www.uci.ch/pressreleases/uci-and-wada-terminate-cas-case-concerning-roman-kreuziger/)
Because the burden of proof is so high, cases aren't opened unless the panel and governing body is certain it will be successful. RK's case is egg on the face of the UCI, but also a huge whole in the robustness of the passport, now that hypothyroidism is an acceptable excuse for suspicious blood values.
Take a look at this summary and raw data of Chris Horner. Famous Armstrong teammate, winner of his first Grand Tour at age 41. Rides around with this kind of data and doesn't even have a case against him.
http://veloclinic.tumblr.com/post/63542182838/analysis-horners-biopassport-dataWe don't have much other raw data. Lance Armstrong's 2009 samples are available and questionable, but from a rhetorical standpoint, the Armstrong horse is beaten to death.
So Malaria. What other traumatic illnesses have athletes claimed to have? Fabio Aru had dysentery weeks before he finished 2nd in a Grand Tour (and sued another rider who called him out on twitter). Chris Froome had/has Bilharzia (and can't seem to keep his story straight). Tyler Hamilton had a disappearing twin in utero (sorry, but I just love that story).
____________________________________________
And none of that is to mention that the investigative letter sent to an athlete, before the panel review, serves as a warning to that athlete!. An analogy is getting pulled over, and the cop saying "Were you speeding? Because it looks like you were, but we still have to watch you a bit to find out."
And finally, as a minor point, while many aruge about the robustness of ABP sample collection in Kenya, take a look at how many samples are taken for Kreuziger and Horner. 50 plus? How many Kenyan's have that kind of passport data? How many runners at all have that much data...
It's getting late. I need to go to bed.