The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s verdict on Alberto Contador’s doping case has been delayed once again, with a final decision now expected on Monday February 6.
- Contador faces losing his 2010 Tour de France title if found guilty
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) intends to publish its decision in the arbitration procedure involving the International Cycling Union (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Alberto Contador and the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) on Monday February 6 2012,” read a statement on the CAS website.
“A confirmation as to the date and time of the publication of the decision will be given by the CAS at the end of this week.”
The initial hearing, which was due to take place before the 2011 Tour de France, was itself delayed twice and eventually took place on November 21-24, with CAS announcing it would take approximately ‘six to eight weeks’ to deliver a verdict.
That deadline passed after RadioShack-Nissan-Trek owner Flavio Becca questioned the independence of the hearing’s three-man panel, while CAS blamed the delay on subsequent media reports.
A verdict was therefore due this week but Contador must now wait until next Monday at the earliest before learning his fate. The Spaniard, who tested positive for clenbuterol in the 2010 Tour de France, faces losing that title and a suspension if found guilty.
