And we would be naive to think that at least some athletes aren't trying to beat these tests at any cost. That's a farce. If you know when you're going to be tested, just cleanse your system out before the test. That ain't rocket science. Typically the products are used more to hide, say, marijuana, than performance-enhancing drugs.
Some products claim to work within an hour and provide a clean test for up to five hours.
Randy Oravetz, director of sports medicine at Florida State, said many drug tests given to college athletes aren't designed to specifically detect detox products but that sometimes officials are able to tell from signs such as abnormal pH levels. Still, Oravetz said, drug tests can have holes, which means some athletes likely are slipping through the cracks and staying on the playing field. It's little wonder, then, that cheating is becoming almost widespread. The 1998 Tour de France was smeared by drug accusations. During the last Olympics, in Sydney, dozens of athletes were mired in drug controversies.