Extraordinary photos reveal complexities of Armstrong, other USADA doping cases

Could accessories to the doping scandals of Lance Armstrong and other controversial athletes switch pristine blood and urine samples for samples that might show evidence of doping? Yes, as this photo shows. Although a note on the medical office door requested delivery after 1 p.m., these blood and urine samples were delivered before 11 a.m. to the exterior foyer, where many passers by had access.

Examiner.com has become one of the Top Forty Web Sites in the U.S. by getting many exclusive reports from many contributors who can cover much more news territory. I just happened to be on my way to a Citibank ATM on Saturday, March 9 when I saw and photographed three metal boxes of patient blood and urine samples deposited in the foyer of a locked medical office with a sign on the door announcing the office was closed. The note said, “UPS/FEDEX. You were supposed to deliver by 9:30 a.m. Please redeliver after 1 p.m."

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
34.063915 ; -118.370079

This medical office sign indicated that no one would be there for at least another two hours. That left ample time that could be used by well trained experts to get the boxes and substitute “clean” blood & urine samples of the same blood type. In this area, they could pull the deed off in a mobile medical van just like many others in the area.

Can this type of sinister “switcheroo” be caught on videotape? That’s very unlikely. If you read the HIPAA medical privacy texts very carefully, you will understand that almost all videotaping of medical office patients is prohibited without complicated written consent documents.

There were a total of three metal cases marked as containing blood and urine specimens placed in the medical office foyer. They were marked with detailed information such as the testing company name, route number and driver name. The laboratory specimens were also labeled as “biohazardous” Therefore, in the unlikely event that someone up to no good was caught moving the metal boxes, they could claim that they were trying to return the designated “biohazardous” materials to the senders to avoid any risk of contamination in a public area.

Read more abot USADA doping investigations at this link.

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, Sports Business Examiner

Max Donner, MBA, reports on sports and the arts from a financial perspective. He researches benchmarks and best practices to help non-profit teams achieve more with fewer resources. He shares these in workshops for non-profits and universities, as well as reports and articles. Donner is a board...

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