Contador 'disgraced' with ban

Disgraced cyclist Alberto Contador has lashed out at the Spanish Cycling Federation, accusing them of buckling to pressure from anti-doping authorities by proposing he serve a one-year ban from the sport.

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The future of Contador, a three-time Tour de France champion, has hung in the balance since it was announced last August he had tested positive for traces of the banned substance Clenbuterol during last July's race which he won.

Despite repeatedly denying taking any banned substances and blaming the result on food contamination, it increasingly looks like stage racing's biggest talent will be banned.

The Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) made a proposal last month to ban Contador for a year, an offer which was seen by experts as a compromise deal.

Contador now believes the RFEC was pressured into making the proposal by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and feels "let down" by his federation's failure to clear him.

"The UCI and WADA exerted a lot of pressure before that proposal" from the RFEC was made on January 26," the Spaniard said Thursday.

"The RFEC knows I've always advocated an anti-doping stance. Everyone knows what's going on, but now I'm in a position where I'm facing a ban. It really makes you lose confidence in the system.

"I'm disgusted...I feel really let down by the attitude of the federation. This case has become way too politicised and it has prejudiced my case.

"The federation has our entire dossier. It is a long and comprehensive work which clears everything up.

"They could have consulted an article which proves my innocence, but they haven't and for that I am disappointed."

The RFEC is soon expected to announce the length of Contador's sanction.

If however the Spanish cycling authorities fail to ban Contador, the UCI, which is understood to want to apply the anti-doping rules to the letter, would likely appeal the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to ban the Spaniard.

The 28-year-old, who is also a former winner of the Giro d'Italia and Tour of Spain, would then lose his 2010 Tour de France victory.

Contador has already declared he would not accept a ban as he had done nothing wrong.

A defiant Contador said he would fight any future ban all the way.

"I'm ready for whichever battle comes up," he said.

If banned, Contador would become only the second Tour champion to be stripped of his title, after US rider Floyd Landis in 2006.

Clenbuterol is a banned weight loss-muscle-building drug which is also used to fatten cattle.

Contador claims he ate a steak that was contaminated by the drug.

Clenbuterol was banned by the European Union in 1996 but it is still administered illicitly by some cattle farmers.





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Source: AFP


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