Monday, May 31, 2010

Valverde given global doping ban

Alejandro Valverde
Valverde is currently ranked the world's number one rider

Spain's Alejandro Valverde has seen his two-year ban extended to cover all worldwide competition.

Valverde, 30, was already banned from racing in Italy after his DNA matched blood containing Erythropoietin (EPO) found at a Madrid clinic in 2006.

The International Cycling Union and World Anti-Doping Agency appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to make the ban global and have succeeded.

The ban covers two years from 1 January 2010, though his prior results stand.

This is because Cas decided there was no evidence to suggest doping had contributed to Valverde's performances.

However, he will be disqualified from all events this season and asked to reimburse his prize money.

Those results include victory in the Tour de Romandie and second place in the Paris-Nice stage race.

The Caisse d'Epargne rider, ranked number one in the world according to the latest standings released by the International Cycling Union (UCI) on Monday, was first banned by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in May 2009.

That decision came when the body's anti-doping tribunal decided the Spaniard was involved in "Operacion Puerto", a case in which more than 50 cyclists were linked to a suspected doping ring centred on a clinic in Madrid.

DNA taken from Valverde during the Italian stage of the 2008 Tour de France matched blood seized in the operation.

Valverde's appeal against the ban, which was only effective in Italy, was rejected in March of this year, after which the UCI announced their intention to have it extended.

Monday's CAS hearing decided the evidence was sufficient to prove the blood seized came from Valverde, and that the sample contained EPO, a prohibited substance.

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