February 15, 2011 (Madrid, Spain) – We reported on January 26 that Spanish rider Alberto Contador Velasco (Saxo Bank) proposed a one-year doping suspension by the Spanish cycling federation (RFEC), seen by most as a compromise deal. But according to Spain’s El Pais daily newspaper the federation has apparently now reversed its stand and decided to acquit Contador reports Reuters and AFP.

El Pais says that sources close to the RFEC say their disciplinary committee has now accepted Contador’s argument that he had inadvertently consumed the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol from contaminated meat during the 2010 Tour de France. It’s unclear whether the RFEC would apply other sanctions to Contador, but these reports suggest the three-time TdF winner will not face a one-year ban from the sport.

If such reports prove true, the Swiss-based UCI and the Canadian-based World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will have one month to appeal the decision to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) should they disagree with the ruling.

Reuters here.
AFP here.