Spanish cycling federation wants a joint UCI & WADA decision on Contador doping case

The investigation into Alberto Contador’s positive doping test at the Tour de France took another twist. According to today’s El País newspaper, the Spanish federation wants to make a joint decision with the International Cycling Union (UCI) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

“After studying the documents submitted by Contador’s defence,” said a source at the Spanish federation, “if the UCI and the WADA decide there must be a sanction then we will issue one, if they decide otherwise, we will follow suit.”

Contador faces a likely two-year sanction and the loss of his third Tour de France title. He tested positive for 50 picograms of Clenbuterol on the Tour de France’s second rest day, July 21, in Pau. After he won the race – 39 seconds ahead of Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck – the UCI revealed the results.

Contador maintains his innocence. He blames the result on eating a contaminated steak that his Astana team bought in Irún, Spain.

The drug helps breathing and weight loss and is therefore banned. Contador’s urine showed 50 picograms per millilitre of Clenbuterol, equal to 0.000 000 000 05 grams per millilitre. The WADA’s anti-doping rules make no stipulation for how the drug ingested and at what level it is found.

After the WADA and the UCI reviewed the results, it sent all of its documentation to the disciplinary committee of the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) on November 8. The rider’s national federation is typically in charge of issuing a sanction, with the right of the UCI or the rider to appeal the result to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The RFEC, according to today’s report, wants to avoid an appeal and come to a definitive decision quickly.

“Not only will this prohibit them from accusing us of patriotism, but we can shorten the procedure, because if the UCI and the WADA agree with our decision then they won’t resort to CAS.”

The UCI has already responded and said that it will issue a decision by January 23 or 24, according to El País. The WADA has yet to issue a response.