POSTED: February 14th 2011
NewsUpdate
Contador poised to escape dope test suspension - for the time being
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT / Sports Features Communications
MADRID: A new row over doping in cycling is erupting with the Spanish federation reportedly set to clear Tour de France winner Alberto Contador even though he failed a test during last year’s race.
Contador has always insisted that he was an innocent victim of clembuturol-contaminated meat last July 21.
An initial proposal of a year’s suspension, which would have cost him the Tour title, prompted an appeal by Contador based on article 296 of the UCI’s regulations which absolves an athlete it if can be proved he or she was not guilty of any form of negligence.
Spain’s Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero had raised the profile of the appeal last week when he commented on his Twitter site that he could see no justifiable legal reason for Contador being suspended.
Spain’s adherence to the strict worldwide anti-doping code was approved unanimously by parliament in 2006 on the recommendation of Zapatero’s own government.
Newspapers El Pais and Marca report that the Spanish federation’s disciplinary committee has reached the same conclusion. Once that decision has been confirmed formally the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency will have one month in which to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Zapatero has been criticised within Spain for coming to the defence of Contador, a triple winner of the Tour de France, after not being similarly supportive of other Spanish sportsmen and women involved in doping controversies.
Spanish sport has a dubious reputation in terms of doping – particularly in relation to cycling – after the Puerto case and recent Operacion Galgo in which a number of prominent Spanish sportsmen and women were arrested and questioned.
Keywords · Contador · WADA · dope test · Zapatero
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