Sauna visit punished at esports world championships: UCI mandates new hydration test

The cycling union UCI has implemented new measures to prevent cheating and dangerous health risks at the esports World Championships. For the first time, riders will undergo a hydration test before being allowed to start. The finals of the esports World Championships take place tonight in Abu Dhabi.

With the new protocol, the UCI hopes to combat suspicions of unhealthy practices. At last year’s World Championships, there were suspicions that participants deliberately dehydrated themselves in the sauna and used diuretics to lose water weight, all to reduce their weight for the weigh-in and then start the race with an advantage.

This not only creates an unfair playing field but also poses potential health risks to the athletes. Dehydrated riders perform slower and are at increased risk of injuries and reduced cognitive function.

Urine test four hours before the start
To counter this new form of cheating, the UCI is taking a radically different approach this year. All participants must report four hours before their race to provide a urine sample. This sample is analyzed on site using a refractometer—a device that determines whether riders are sufficiently hydrated.

The standard is strict: urine with a specific gravity below 1.020 is considered "well hydrated" and guarantees passage to the official weigh-in. Those who do not meet this standard are not allowed to weigh in immediately and must retest after adequate fluid intake.

The actual weigh-in takes place under strict conditions. Riders weigh in wearing their race outfit (bib shorts, jersey, socks, no shoes) on a calibrated digital scale. A neutral medical staff conducts the procedure.

The esports World Championships consist of three different stages in a virtual world specially built for the UCI on the MyWhoosh platform, featuring a points system where riders start from zero. All finalists race on the Elite Justo 2 smart trainer, which has been thoroughly tested and verified by the UCI to ensure fairness and accuracy throughout the competition.