Contador banned

[rich p]

I must say that I'm disappointed at the result. I know nothing about the various drugs that are being used by cyclists but from what I've read that amount found was so small as to not have any affect on his performance so it begs the question, why did he take it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blimey Keith - we've done this one somany times!!!!!!!!

Either through contaminated supplements, contaminated meat or a blood transfusion using blood he'd stored earlier which was already contaminated with clenbuterol. Take your pick.

 

[Alun]

My view would be to strip all his wins from the date of the test, but to start the ban from the day it was imposed.

That would be a three and a half year ban, which would see the TdF declared as non compliant with WADA's policy, like our own BOA.

 

[rich p]

That would be a three and a half year ban, which would see the TdF declared as non compliant with WADA's policy, like our own BOA.

Except that he hasn't been banned for 18 months - he's been racing and earning.

 

[Alun]

Guilty, two year ban. At last!
How many other riders had as much or more clenbutamol in their system, but walked free because their blood was tested at a different lab, which couldn't detect such a minute amount. The UCI need to set a level playing field, if not by use of a threshold then by some other means.

 

[yello]

So expect this to carry on for a bit longer, whilst his legal team tries to find some 'wiggle' room on a technicality.

I wouldn't anticipate that happening. He's effectively got a 7 or 8 month ban (rightly or wrongly), I reckon he'll take it on the chin. Or pack up his toys and go and sulk in the corner like he threatened to!

It's the response of the Spanish federation (and government) that interests me at the moment.

 

[Nearly there]

If anyones watching Eurosport Eddy Merckx made a comment and appears to say Contador has done nothing wrong and its all been blown out of proportion because the amount used wasnt enough to enhance performance,Should a Legend like Merckx be saying such things?Or was his comments lost in translation?As a sport should It not be seen as being tough on cheats?

 

[Alun]

Except that he hasn't been banned for 18 months - he's been racing and earning.

His results for the last 18 months have been set aside, he wasn't really racing, just riding along in the pelaton. If his team want to pay him that is a decision for them.

 

[Keith Oates]

Blimey Keith - we've done this one somany times!!!!!!!!

Either through contaminated supplements, contaminated meat or a blood transfusion using blood he'd stored earlier which was already contaminated with clenbuterol. Take your pick.

Yes Rich, we have been through it before but now we must accept that he's been banned because they consider he deliberately took the drug to enhance performance. Hence my question why did he do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[johnnyh]

Sooooo pleased with this.
Although it is another smear on the sport

 

[rich p]

His results for the last 18 months have been set aside, he wasn't really racing, just riding along in the pelaton. If his team want to pay him that is a decision for them.

He affected lots of races by being there. His attack in last years TdF was significant, he 'won' the Giro!!!, he 'earned' other riders prize money, he has stayed race fit unlike other 2 year banned riders etc

 

[rich p]

Yes Rich, we have been through it before but now we must accept that he's been banned because they consider he deliberately took the drug to enhance performance. Hence my question why did he do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The CAS ruling suggests that it could, in theory, be due to a supplement but most peoples take on it is that he infused blood he'd stored from earlier in June. He took clenb. to aid weight loss and normally after 3 days it has disappeared. That blood was used during the rest day of the TdF and because the German lab can detect smaller quantities than ever before, he got caught out. This also explains the presence of plasticisers from the infusion blood bags.

 

[yello]

the amount used wasnt enough to enhance performance

I think everyone acknowledges that. I don't think anyone believes he micro-dosed clenb. Hence the possibility of the contaminated meat theory (though implausible in Contador's case).

What is being claimed (though maybe not explicitly or formally) is that it's evidence of a blood transfusion. Personally, I think it's dodgy ground. Yes, it points to it, there's a good chance it is what happened, but it doesn't prove it. It's simply a theory to explain how the clenb got there in such small quantities. That is, disregarding the disputed (and non-approved??) plastizers test.

It's why I thought he'd get off.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Although it is another smear on the sport

Perhaps that's why the powers that be made the decision they did. At least they have been seen to act appropriately as opposed to letting him walk.

 

[Keith Oates]

You are correct that a lot of people think he did a blood infusion but as I understand it this was not what the CAS were considering as there was no proof of this submitted to them as far as I can see. Therefore I return to my question why did he take a weight loss supplement during a race which it seems is what the CAS consider he did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Hont]

"The Panel concluded that both the meat contamination scenario and the blood transfusion scenario were, in theory, possible explanations for the adverse analytical findings, but were however equally unlikely. In the Panel’s opinion, on the basis of the evidence adduced, the presence of clenbuterol was more likely caused by the ingestion of a contaminated food supplement."

i.e. In the Panel's opinion he did not intentionally dope but, as it was a contaminated food supplement, Contador can be considered responsible for it entering his system. That is my inference from their statement. Whether their statement is what all of them actually thought, who knows.