Dude, where ya been? Richie Rude is sitting out the EWS (voluntarily) right now, pending the results of a doping positive from last year's round 3 in France. Graves tested positive at the same race, but he's not racing right now because of a way higher stakes battle with brain cancer.
Those results came out after a doping test conducted by the French anti-doping agency after last year's EWS round 3 in Olargues, FRA. EWS leaves doping control up to national agencies - and the French are very intent on catching dopers.
Levy did a nice job with this article: [https://www.pinkbike.com/news/exclusive-richie-rude-and-jared-graves-failed-drug-test-at-ews-france.html](https://www.pinkbike.com/news/exclusive-richie-rude-and-jared-graves-failed-drug-test-at-ews-france.html)
Prior to racing at the start of this year, the EWS published a letter that had already been sent to EWS athletes and team managers. I'll leave the link below. It's a good read, because it explains the EWS's standpoint and policy, and lifts the veil a little bit on how this stuff works. It also shows, once again, what a good series manager Chris Ball is and why he's well-respected.
[https://www.enduroworldseries.com/news/1269-official-ews-statement-on-antidoping/](https://www.enduroworldseries.com/news/1269-official-ews-statement-on-antidoping/)
May 15, 2019, 11:35 a.m. - Pete Roggeman
Dude, where ya been? Richie Rude is sitting out the EWS (voluntarily) right now, pending the results of a doping positive from last year's round 3 in France. Graves tested positive at the same race, but he's not racing right now because of a way higher stakes battle with brain cancer. Those results came out after a doping test conducted by the French anti-doping agency after last year's EWS round 3 in Olargues, FRA. EWS leaves doping control up to national agencies - and the French are very intent on catching dopers. Levy did a nice job with this article: [https://www.pinkbike.com/news/exclusive-richie-rude-and-jared-graves-failed-drug-test-at-ews-france.html](https://www.pinkbike.com/news/exclusive-richie-rude-and-jared-graves-failed-drug-test-at-ews-france.html) Prior to racing at the start of this year, the EWS published a letter that had already been sent to EWS athletes and team managers. I'll leave the link below. It's a good read, because it explains the EWS's standpoint and policy, and lifts the veil a little bit on how this stuff works. It also shows, once again, what a good series manager Chris Ball is and why he's well-respected. [https://www.enduroworldseries.com/news/1269-official-ews-statement-on-antidoping/](https://www.enduroworldseries.com/news/1269-official-ews-statement-on-antidoping/)