Aranesp, a medicine being misused as a performance-enhancing drug, is threatening to defeat sport in its fight against the use of illegal substances, an expert has claimed.
Dr Bengt Saltin has warned sport's ongoing battle may be lost if a powerful substance like Aranesp, a modification of EPO, starts to become widely used in sports such as football, ice hockey and rugby.
"Then the battle would be very difficult - then it would be impossible," Dr Saltin told BBCRadio 5 Live.
Dr Mike Ashenden, of Scientists and Industry Against Blood Doping, explained the drug was developed as a medicine.
"It was devised for clinical use and has an important role in the hospital setting," he said.
Aranesp prompts bone marrow to produce more blood cells, but athletes can use this effect to bolster stamina for endurance events. Scientists are understood to be between 18 months and three years away from devising a workable test.
"The problem is that to catch up with the athletes we need to work with industry and get access to the drugs before they are available in a commercial setting, so we can develop tests," said Dr Ashenden.
"This one slipped through the net, but we are working on it and a test should be available very soon."
PA