Contador refutes positive dope test

CNN: Reigning Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has refuted the findings of a positive dope test taken while the cyclist was competing in this year’s race.

Contador was provisionally suspended from competitive cycling by the sport’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), on Thursday following the results of the test. The Spanish rider, a three-time winner of cycling’s showpiece event, had traces of the banned substance clenbuterol in a test sample he gave on July 21 – which was a rest day.

However, in a press conference held in the 27-year-old’s home town of Pinto in Spain which CNN attended, Contador said he was innocent stating: “It is a food contamination case of which I am the victim.”

He added that it was bad meat he had eaten the day before the test that had led to the false reading, before concluding that truth was on his side.

Contador now faces a fight to clear his name after the UCI released a statement to say: “The UCI confirmed today that Spanish rider Alberto Contador returned an adverse analytical finding for clenbuterol.

“The rider, who had already put an end to his cycling season before the result was known, was nevertheless formally and provisionally suspended as is prescribed by the World Anti-Doping Code.

“This result was reported by the WADA accredited laboratory in Cologne to UCI and WADA simultaneously.”

The UCI confirmed today that Spanish rider Alberto Contador returned an adverse analytical finding for clenbuterol.

The UCI went on to explain the amounts of the prohibited stimulant found in the sample were low, so a second sample was also tested.

“In view of this very small concentration and in consultation with WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), the UCI immediately had the proper results management proceedings conducted including the analysis of B sample that confirmed the first result.”

Further analysis of the results will now be carried out by UCI and WADA, with no further comment being made until it has been concluded.

“The UCI continues working with the scientific support of WADA to analyse all the elements that are relevant to the case.

“In order to protect the integrity of the proceedings and in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code, the UCI will refrain from making any further comments until the management of this adverse analytical finding has been completed.”