Who gets tested more—Serena Williams or pro cyclists?

Tennis superstar Serena Williams complained to both the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) about the frequency of drug-testing after an incident when USADA testers visited her home to get a sample. In an article in Deadspin, it was reported the doping control officer showed up at 8.30am. Since Williams was not home, the tester did not want to leave until she had been tested. But that never happened.

After the incident, Williams tweeted about it. “And just like that anti-doping is here again, second time this week. Proud to participate to keep the sport clean. Even if they do test me at my current ranking of 454 in the world. Two times every week.”

« Serena has a problem, a strange distaste for an unglamorous part of her job: drug-testin »

Serena used to be tested one to 5 times A YEAR and complained a lot about it, while cyclists or T&F athletes were tested dozens times. https://t.co/yllQPxUOv5

— Ufe (@oufeh) August 10, 2022

Except, according to an article in the Independent, that doesn’t quite match the truth. “The statistics don’t back up those claims, which would amount to more than 100 tests a year. Not even close,” the article states. The report goes on to say that according to the USADA database, Williams has been tested only five times in 2018. That doesn’t include the failed attempt. Furthermore, “statistics released by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) show she was tested between one and three times in-competition and out-of-competition in all of 2017.”

In total, the USADA database lists only 41 recorded tests for Williams over the years. As a contrast, former pro cyclist Taylor Phinney was tested 90 times by USADA. She also earns 27 million dollars a year, which is quite a bit more than Phinney would have made. The same can be said for American runners being tested. “Distance runner Molly Huddle has been tested 74 times, while athlete Galen Rupp has been tested 167 times,” the article adds.

At every race that pro men and women complete, the winners and random riders will be tested. There’s also out-of-competition testing for cyclists, where riders must tell the UCI at all times where they are so they are available for random tests. “The UCI Registered Testing Pool (RTP) is the reference pool of riders submitted to the Whereabouts requirements. The RTP is established on certain criteria, including without limitation membership to a UCI WorldTeam or UCI Professional Continental Team, UCI rankings, performances, disciplinary hearing outcomes and other factors determined by the CADF, the UCI and/or the UCI Anti-Doping Commission.”

In 2007, Danish rider Michael Rasmussen had to quit the Tour when leading as he had lied about his whereabouts. He had submitted to the UCI that he was training in Mexico, but was in fact seen training in Italy. Hours after he had won stage 16 of the Tour de France in the yellow jersey, he was fired for lying and removed from the Tour.