If the ruling goes in favor of Keisse, he would be eligible to race the Gent Six
There has been a brief glimpse of positive news, or at least a final ruling, for purgatoried rider, Iljo Keisse. The Court of Appeals in Brussels will rule on Keisse’s never-ending case on November 15th.
Keisse appeared in court on Monday at the Court of Appeals, and according to Sporza, the judge promised a ruling by the middle of the month, November 15th.
If the judge rules in favor of Keisse, he will be eligible to take part in his beloved, hometown race, the Gent Six, which begins on November 23rd.
Speaking on Belgium’s Radio 2, Keisse seems to be daring to dream for the moment: “I preparing for the Six Day at least to make sure that I’m ready in case I can race again.”
A quick run down of the saga: Keisse tests positive in November of 2008 at the Gent Six. After an extended battle, he is cleared and allowed to return to racing almost one year later, on November 2, 2009. Keisse races a successful Six Day season, then begins 2010 with Patrick Lefevere’s QuickStep team. His season is a flop due to injury and generally just bad luck, but it gets even worse when WADA appeals to the CAS, who rule in favor of WADA, and Keisse’s two year ban is reinstated to its full two years. Of course, Keisse isn’t too keen on leaving the sport again, so he begins his appeal process anew. Unfortunately for Keisse and his chances of racing in 2010, his case is postponed twice, bringing us to recent times.
Recently, after the two postponements, the presiding judge in the case declined jurisdiction and cast Keisse further adrift. Keisse was forced to go even higher to his final bastion of hope – the Belgian Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals is Keisse’s final hope. He needs a favorable ruling from the court on November 15th, or he will certainly sit out the rest of his sentence, right or wrong.