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Contador lauds doping decision, but damage done
Source: Agencies |
February 16, 2011, Wednesday
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TOUR de France champion Alberto Contador believes "irreparable" damage has been done to his reputation despite being cleared of doping by the Spanish cycling federation, which ruled yesterday that he was not at fault for a positive test that he attributed to contaminated meat.
The Spanish cyclist tested positive for banned substance clenbuterol while winning last year's Tour, but the federation's disciplinary committee accepted Contador's defense he unintentionally ingested the substance by eating contaminated beef.
"The truth is today is a good day," Contador said in an interview on Veo7 television broadcast late yesterday. "It's been an incredible number of weeks and months that I wouldn't wish on absolutely anybody - you'd have to have lived these past months to know how it feels.
"The truth is the damage done to your image is irreparable, with all the stupidities that are said about you."
Contador's joy was restrained during the interview, knowing the International Cycling Union or World Anti-Doping Agency can still appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Both bodies said they would wait to receive the full dossier before deciding on an appeals process. The UCI has 30 days to appeal while WADA has another 21 days after that to take the case to CAS.
Contador, who believes the decision will "probably" be appealed, stopped short of confirming he will try for a fourth Tour de France title this year due to the possible appeals process. But he confirmed he will go for a second Giro d'Italia title.
"For the moment I'm planning the season up until the Giro and then after the Giro I'll see what the next objectives are, depending with what happens in the coming months," said Contador, who won the 2008 edition of the Italian classic.
Any appeals process is expected to drag on until at least June. The Tour de France begins July 2.
Contador preferred to risk a two-year suspension than accept the original one-year ban proposed by the disciplinary committee in his doping case last month. Contador registered a minute trace of clenbuterol, which is listed as a zero-tolerance drug by WADA, from a test taken on a rest day at last year's Tour.
"When you haven't done anything wrong and your conscience is super relaxed the only thing left is for them to recognize that you haven't done anything. You have to fight," Contador said in the pre-taped interview before criticizing the treatment he received from the UCI. "It is surprising that your own sport, your leaders, catches you and blames you, that they want to throw you to the guillotine when you haven't committed an infraction."
Contador, who is cleared to race pending any appeal rulings from CAS, was already traveling to Portugal last night to race for new team Saxo Bank-Sunguard in the Tour of the Algarve from Wednesday.
"We've been training but I'm not in the same shape as other years," Contador said.
After learning of the proposed one-year suspension nearly three weeks ago, Contador vowed to fight any ban, describing himself as a victim of antiquated, flawed anti-doping regulations. Contador believed the decision offered WADA a good chance to re-examine those anti-doping regulations.
"The fault is with the institutions that haven't served their purpose and who haven't been able to review a case like this," the 28-year-old Spaniard said. "It's been six months of sleepless nights, pulling your hair out - there are times when I cried."
Contador said his defense team was preparing for any further appeals after he successfully presented further evidence based along UCI and WADA anti-doping rules that allow the "elimination" of a sanction if the athlete can demonstrate "no fault or negligence" on their part.
Disciplinary committee president Fernando Uruburu said the new evidence brought forward by Contador's defense team made the difference.
The Spanish cyclist tested positive for banned substance clenbuterol while winning last year's Tour, but the federation's disciplinary committee accepted Contador's defense he unintentionally ingested the substance by eating contaminated beef.
"The truth is today is a good day," Contador said in an interview on Veo7 television broadcast late yesterday. "It's been an incredible number of weeks and months that I wouldn't wish on absolutely anybody - you'd have to have lived these past months to know how it feels.
"The truth is the damage done to your image is irreparable, with all the stupidities that are said about you."
Contador's joy was restrained during the interview, knowing the International Cycling Union or World Anti-Doping Agency can still appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Both bodies said they would wait to receive the full dossier before deciding on an appeals process. The UCI has 30 days to appeal while WADA has another 21 days after that to take the case to CAS.
Contador, who believes the decision will "probably" be appealed, stopped short of confirming he will try for a fourth Tour de France title this year due to the possible appeals process. But he confirmed he will go for a second Giro d'Italia title.
"For the moment I'm planning the season up until the Giro and then after the Giro I'll see what the next objectives are, depending with what happens in the coming months," said Contador, who won the 2008 edition of the Italian classic.
Any appeals process is expected to drag on until at least June. The Tour de France begins July 2.
Contador preferred to risk a two-year suspension than accept the original one-year ban proposed by the disciplinary committee in his doping case last month. Contador registered a minute trace of clenbuterol, which is listed as a zero-tolerance drug by WADA, from a test taken on a rest day at last year's Tour.
"When you haven't done anything wrong and your conscience is super relaxed the only thing left is for them to recognize that you haven't done anything. You have to fight," Contador said in the pre-taped interview before criticizing the treatment he received from the UCI. "It is surprising that your own sport, your leaders, catches you and blames you, that they want to throw you to the guillotine when you haven't committed an infraction."
Contador, who is cleared to race pending any appeal rulings from CAS, was already traveling to Portugal last night to race for new team Saxo Bank-Sunguard in the Tour of the Algarve from Wednesday.
"We've been training but I'm not in the same shape as other years," Contador said.
After learning of the proposed one-year suspension nearly three weeks ago, Contador vowed to fight any ban, describing himself as a victim of antiquated, flawed anti-doping regulations. Contador believed the decision offered WADA a good chance to re-examine those anti-doping regulations.
"The fault is with the institutions that haven't served their purpose and who haven't been able to review a case like this," the 28-year-old Spaniard said. "It's been six months of sleepless nights, pulling your hair out - there are times when I cried."
Contador said his defense team was preparing for any further appeals after he successfully presented further evidence based along UCI and WADA anti-doping rules that allow the "elimination" of a sanction if the athlete can demonstrate "no fault or negligence" on their part.
Disciplinary committee president Fernando Uruburu said the new evidence brought forward by Contador's defense team made the difference.
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