The United States leads the world in terms of the number of adverse analytical findings (AAFs) reported for the first six months of 2017, reports the Movement for Credible Cycling. The US reported 73 AAFs from 1 January to 30 June 2017, way ahead of Russia with 24 cases (38 if you include AAFs from retests).

The sport reporting the most AAFs during the six month period was baseball, with 52 AAFs compared to athletics’ 45 (58 if you include AAFs from retests). However, not all the baseball AAFs involve the US baseball players. In May, the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP) suspended five players for doping.

The number of positive tests reported in athletics has almost doubled, from 24 in 2016 to 45 in 2017 (excluding AAFs from retests). In weightlifting, the number of positive tests tried from 12 in 2016 to 33 in 2017.

The MPCC figures state that its figures are ‘based on proven cases in 2017, according to official communications federations and anti-doping agencies’. Only cases involving professional athletes are recorded.