The Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) has confirmed that during the first two months of the COVID-19 coronavirus lockdown, the volume of out-of-competition tests conducted has decreased by approximately 90%.

In a statement released Friday, the CADF acknowledged that it has "had to significantly reduce its doping control activities" in recent months due to the lockdown and social distance restrictions implemented worldwide to contain the spread of COVID-19.

"Most of the riders on the UCI Registered Testing Pool (RTP) are in countries or regions where travel and physical contact restrictions have been imposed by local authorities. As a result, out-of-competition inspections in the first two months of the pandemic were reduced by approximately 90% compared to 2019," the CADF statement said.

"Nevertheless, during this period, the CADF collected almost as many samples from cyclists as all national anti-doping organizations (NADOs) combined."

CADF added that a "priority list" of athletes to be tested before competition resumes next month is being developed, with a "phased" return to normal out-of-competition testing in countries where lockdown restrictions have been lifted.

The organization did not say when OOC testing would return to full operation.

"Today, CADF can confirm that the phased return to normal out-of-competition testing is continuing in countries where confinement measures have been lifted, while the situation in other areas is being closely monitored," CADF said.

"In planning for the resumption of inspections, the CADF used a thorough risk assessment and specific criteria to establish a priority list of athletes to be inspected before racing resumes. "15] "The CADF, UCI, AIGCP, AIOCC and CPA are in

The CADF 2019 Business Report, released Friday, revealed that 7,629 out-of-competition inspections were conducted in 2019. In-competition testing brought the total number of samples collected to 14,333

6,721 out-of-competition tests were performed on professional male riders (3,297 urine tests, 3,251 biological passport tests, and 173 other blood tests) CADF also conducted 3,. 222 in-competition tests were performed on male professional riders, for a total of 9,943 tests.

The CADF stated that in 2020, before the season was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, a total of 2,200 samples were collected, including 1,250 out-of-competition tests.

In April, a CADF spokesperson told Cyclingnews that the organization expects a shortfall in funding for 2020 because many races were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. Race organizers accounted for 12.5% of budget contributions from stakeholders in 2019, according to a business report released Friday. Contributions from WorldTour and Pro Continental teams accounted for 69.5%, while the UCI contributed 17%.

The total financial contribution to the CADF from cycling stakeholders in 2019 was CHF 7,497,000, down just under CHF 300,000 from 2018.

In 2021, CADF functions (and much of its staff) will be absorbed into the new Cycling Department of the ITA, an inspection body created by the IOC in 2018; the same funding model will apply to the ITA's Cycling Department; in 2021, the CADF will be absorbed into the ITA's Cycling Department, an inspection body created by the IOC in 2018; in 2021, the CADF will be absorbed into the ITA's Cycling Department; in 2021, the CADF will be absorbed into the ITA's Cycling Department.