Despite Cadel Evans taking victory in the 2011 Tour de France, the winner of last year’s race continues to remain in doubt – and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has again delayed Alberto Contador’s doping hearing, this time until November.
- Alberto Contador’s finished fifth in this year’s Tour de France
CAS was due to open a three-day investigation on Monday but instead “has allowed a request for a second exchange of written submissions between the parties [the UCI and World Anti-Doping Agency, and Alberto Contador and the Spanish Cycling Federation] as well as for a new procedural calendar.”
Contador tested positive for clenbuterol on the second rest day of the 2010 Tour, which he won by 39 seconds from Andy Schleck, but, after initially being handed a one-year ban, was later cleared by the Spanish Cycling Federation, leaving the UCI and WADA to appeal and send the case to CAS.
The hearing was initially due to go ahead in June, before this year’s Tour, where Contador finished fifth, but was subsequently postponed and has now been put back once again.
“As a consequence of the parties’ request, the hearing which was scheduled for 1, 2 and 3 August 2011 is cancelled and will be rescheduled for new dates, probably in November 2011,” read a statement on the CAS website.
“The second round of written submissions will allow the parties to complete their evidence and arguments relating to some specific scientific issues.”
Condator faces a two-year ban and being stripped of his Tour de France victory if CAS rules against him.
Clenbuterol is a banned fat-burning drug and the SaxoBank Sungard rider claims he inadvertently consumed it in contaminated beef but is required to prove “no fault or negligence” or his part in order to avoid sanction.
