Peter Bol drug test: Attorney Paul Greene questions positive margin call result

Paul Greene, the founder of Global Sports Advocates, which has represented athletes from around the world, says it was a margin call for Bol to have received a positive EPO test.

“EPO occurs naturally in all of us, so it’s not like synthetic EPO has a different chemical makeup than regular EPO,” Greene said.

“It’s a density/gel test that tries to measure the density of one versus another, but EPO density isn’t the same for everyone, so there’s not a clear, simple one in every case Test.

“So sometimes you’re on the sidelines and from the first report (with Bol) it was clear they had a single gang and that would mean it was very close if they were going to report that.”

Greene said there have been instances where a single band result — there are up to five bands that indicate strength level — is not considered a definitive test.

Bol has asked for the B sample from his positive Oct. 11 test to be retested and analyzed by other means in hopes that it will return a negative result.

“Most often, EPO is detected by a blood test,” Greene explained. “There is a urine EPO test and it has been around for a long time, but there have been cases where B has not confirmed A with the urine EPO test.

“There are instances where that has happened.”

When testing an athlete’s urine, he must empty himself into a beaker and then pour it into two bottles marked A and B. Both are then sealed with the A test and frozen and then tested in the lab.

Greene said there have been a number of high-profile cases over the past decade where experts have found athletes in EPO cases have been questionably convicted, including Irish sprinter Steven Colvert and Norwegian walker Erik Tysse.

“It comes down to interpretation of lab data,” Greene said. “One scientist can have completely different views than the other.

“I’ve seen careers destroyed with these things and it’s very, very hard, you lose your life, you lose your livelihood.”

Originally published as a drug test by Peter Bol: Lawyer Paul Greene questions positive result of “Margin Call”.