Tour de France winner Alberto Contador to be investigated for doping
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Spain’s Alberto Contador could be stripped of his 2010 Tour de France victory and likely be banned from competition for two years if found guilty in an investigation by the Spanish cycling federation.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) said Monday it asked for the investigation after deliberating with the World Anti-Doping Agency since the three-time Tour winner was provisionally suspended for testing positive for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol during this year’s race.
‘At the end of a long and meticulous inquiry entrusted to highly qualified, WADA-accredited experts, and considering all the information currently in its possession, the UCI has concluded that disciplinary proceedings should be opened against Alberto Contador,’ the organization said in a statement.
The statement also said that due to the small traces of the banned substance found in Contador’s urine sample, additional tests were performed on all of the rider’s blood and urine samples during the period in question. ‘Alberto Contador still benefits from a presumption of innocence,” the statement said.
Contador has denied doping and has said the traces of the banned substance came from contaminated meat.
-- Chuck Schilken
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Photo: Alberto Contador. Credit: Shamil Zhumatov / Reuters
