The recent avalanche of admissions of past doping by German and Dutch cyclists has prompted the IOC to investigate the possibility of blood doping by cyclists, including Jan Ullrich at the Sydney 2000 Games.

The blood-doping test that was introduced for the first time at the Games was a combined blood and urine method and was limited in that it could only detect EPO use for about four to seven days after it was last used, even though the benefits could last for many weeks. Not surprisingly, no athlete tested positive for EPO - officially.

However, the ‘unofficial’ test that was not adopted by the IOC and capable of detecting EPO use for weeks after the last dose - the so-called OFF-Model blood test - revealed something quite different. As there has been no plausible medical or physiological explanation for failing this test other than previous blood doping (or by spending extended periods of time in outer space), perhaps it's time to re-visit the seven highly abnormal or suspicious OFF-Model results that were reported at the time.

To all intents and purposes, seven athletes had blood-doped but evaded any official sanction. The IOC responded by suggesting that these results would be forwarded to the relevant sporting federations for ‘follow-up’. What that meant was anyone’s guess.

Since then a number of sporting federations have used the OFF-model blood test with great effect. The likes of Raimondas Rumsas and Tyler Hamilton were found out because prior to their official positive doping tests they had registered highly abnormal ‘off-the-radar’ readings for the OFF-Model test. And with no reason other than blood doping for failing the test, both cyclists had become, in a sense, ‘easy targets’ after registering the high readings.

Long forgotten, the seven ‘positives’ from the Sydney Games must be lurking somewhere in the vaults of the IOC and could be used to corroborate any of the evidence that has been coming out lately. It is not such a long bow to draw then that some, or even all, of the seven positive tests at the Sydney Games were found in cyclists, given the recent (and past) revelations of blood doping in the sport.

Apart from any other evidence the IOC may have, the seven abnormal OFF-Model test results that have been lying dormant for seven years could now provide strong clues as to who may have blood-doped during the Games. I can’t recall whether any athlete hitched a ride on the space shuttle to the Sydney Games so it’s a good bet that blood doping did take place there!

Maybe some ‘fools gold’ will be unearthed now. It’s a pity the IOC does not go back even further than the Sydney Games though to set countless other records straight.

* Author BLOOD SPORTS – the inside dope on drugs in sport.

Author correction: in my previous article (Team Telekom's dope doctors highlight just how sick cycling is; posted May 25) I stated that Dr Andreas Schmid was the recipient of WADA funds for research. This was incorrect and the statement should be disregarded. Also Dr Andreas Schmid should not be confused with any other researchers listed on the WADA website.