The CAS rejected the three-time Tour champion’s claim that his positive test for clenbuterol was caused by unintentionally eating contaminated meat on a 2010 Tour rest day.
“The Panel found that there were no established facts that would elevate the possibility of meat contamination to an event that could have occurred on a balance of probabilities,” reads a CAS statement. “Unlike certain other countries, notably outside Europe, Spain is not known to have a contamination problem with clenbuterol in meat. Furthermore, no other cases of athletes having tested positive to clenbuterol allegedly in connection with the consumption of Spanish meat are known.”
In a separate case, the CAS will later rule on a request filed by UCI to impose a fine of at least €2,485,000 (CAD $ 3,236,395) against Contador.
Because Contador’s two-year suspension is back-dated, it should come to an end on August 5, 2012, meaning that he will also miss the 2012 TdF and the London Olympics. The 29-year-old climber would therefore be eligible to ride in the Spanish Vuelta, which begins Aug. 18.
The revised standings from the 2010 TdF now give the victory to Andy Schleck (LUX) (then with Team Saxo Bank), put Denis Menchov (RUS) (Rabobank) in second and give third place to Samuel Sánchez (ESP) (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
The Contador case at the CAS pitted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the UCI – both of which wanted sanctions against the Spanish cycling federation which argued for clemency. Following the ruling, UCI President Pat McQuaid issued a statement to say that: “This is a sad day for our sport. Some may think of it as a victory, but that is not at all the case. There are no winners when it comes to the issue of doping: every case, irrespective of its characteristics, is always a case too many.”
Contador becomes the second TdF winner to be stripped of his victory after American Floyd Landis (then with Phonak) won the 2006 Tour but was later convicted of using artificial testosterone. In 2007, Bjarne Riis – a Danish rider who won the 1996 TdF while riding for Team Telekom – admitted to using EPO, growth hormone and cortisone during that time, but was allowed to keep his title.
Read more HERE.
UCI Statement HERE.
CAS release HERE.
Full CAS Report HERE.