Eloise HorsfieldSPANISH cyclist Alberto Contador has been stripped of his Tour de France title – and banned for two years – having tested positive for performance-enhancing steroid clenbuterol.
Contador failed the doping test in September 2010, shortly after winning the Tour de France for the third time – with his other two wins in 2007 and 2009.
The 29-year-old always maintained the clenbuterol was present because he had eaten contaminated meat.
And while the Spanish Cycling Federation proposed a one-year ban followed by an acquittal, the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency both appealed to the court for a stronger penalty.
“This is a sad day for our sport,” said the UCI president. “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.”
So, justice has been done at last for Andy Shleck.
The last time I wrote the following the editor saw fit to veto it – when the race leader has a mechanical problem or crashes it is race etiquette for all those in contention to wait until the leader is on the go again.
Contador treated this with contempt and it was the 39 second lead he obtained by cheating that won him that year’s TdF.
Strange that only his beefsteak (very unusual as the Spanish do not like beef, they only like veal)was contaminated with clenbutarol and not his teammates.
Strange also that last year Contador could’nt climb like he used to.
What was’nt strange but par for the course (no pun intended) was that the Spanish cycling body thought he was a good lad, very glad that the international bodies were’nt at all happy with their decision.
Anyway justice at last for the Luxemburg lad – let’s see what you can do this year Andy.
In my opinion he should be banned for life, his body will still benefit from the drugs he took after two years, any sports person found guilty should never be allowed to compete again, cheating is serious and unfair to other competitors..
Not one contender in such a competition who isn’t doped, thats my opinion …… but come on show some character when caught red handed
A whole nation from the president down defending and whining and crying ….
What is this a nation of cheats ???
Gary,
I could’nt agree more. Remember how all this doping in sports got started – the Russian State capitalists wanted to beat the American capitalists so they gave testosterone and steroids to their female athletes and turned those poor women into freaks, many of whom commited suicide later on in their lives.
Notice that for some years now, 99% of women athletes are now very attractive ‘normal’ looking women.
The biggest problem now is that sport is not sport anymore but big business.
Many sports can never be truly egalitarian because of factors like living at altitude or being born with an extra large heart aka Coe and Ovett etc.
I enjoy rugby but know full well that steroids rule – minus steroids rugby would be a lighter faster game.
Pro cycling is probably the toughest sport of all, you have to be brave and when you crash, you get straight back on the bike, blood and all not like those plonker footballers.
Whilst visiting a friend working in Rotterdam in 1974 I happened by chance to meet the first cyclist to get banned for using amphetamines – a Dutchman who lost all his teeth and hair.He had been friends with Tommy Simpson who died from an overdose of ‘speed’.