Contador tested positive...

[pino]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11441045

Why I am not surprised...and what a sad news for all cycling fans :(

[ShiftingGears]

Considering the amount detected it is likely to be food contamination.

[Sonic]

^^^^

Most likely. As I understand it he was tested everyday of the tour and this result was thrown up on a rest day.

[AndyRAC]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/tour-de-france-bans-terry_thomas-201009303129/

[chuck34]

"50 picograms - 400 times less than anti-doping laboratories accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) must be able to detect."

Sounds like a testing error to me.

[Hazell B]

For the first time since the mid 80's I actually believe this was a mistake.

About 25 years ago a horse tested positive in an international show jumping competition and the tiny amount it was positive by ended up being from a shovel used in the feed merchant's factory 2000 miles away! Took months to sort out, unlike this similar case (they already seem to know where the food contamination probably came from).

I hope he get's let off if it is a mistake.

[Dave B]

I guess the whole sport is so tainted that the slightest accusation sets alarm bells ringing, and the genuinely innocent get lumped in with all the cheats. It must make it very difficult to get a fair hearing from the governing bodies, media and fans.

[MrJan]

Every time I hear about another positive test in cycling I don't feel angry but disappointed and upset. Cycling as a sport seems to be working so hard to clear its name but time and again we hear that so and so has been caught or yada yada is under suspicion. I genuinely felt upset when I heard the news this morning it really is such a shame.

[janneppi]

Contadors case seems a bit iffy at the moment, but Ezequiel Mosqueras and David Garcia Da Peñas results both from team Xacobeo Galicia are apparently a real doping case. :(
Vuelta needs a new second place rider. :)

[glauistean]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11441045

Why I am not surprised...and what a sad news for all cycling fans :(

I have not read all of the posts and would love to hear what Contador has to say. This is really what I do professionally. Pharmaceutical study in particular the cardiovascular system and upper respiratory tract.


This really does not make much sense as this drug is easily detected. It is abused quite a lot by the athletes in order to lower body fat but it's main purpose is in the treatment of asthma. Opens up the airways.

Contador claims he was given the drug via meat at a dinner. That is strange for a cyclist in the first place but not unusual.

It would be a shame if once again we have a champion having to get his just deserved trophy by the events of another cheating. Andy Schleck.

On the other hand we should not jump to conclusions as this product has been a contentious one in veterinary circles in the EU for years. It's use in cattle and the tranference to humans who happen to eat contaminated meat is an ongoing study as to the amounts transferred. Problems like an enlarged heart are only part of the problem.

[Lousada]

This really does not make much sense as this drug is easily detected. It is abused quite a lot by the athletes in order to lower body fat but it's main purpose is in the treatment of asthma. Opens up the airways.

Contador claims he was given the drug via meat at a dinner. That is strange for a cyclist in the first place but not unusual.


That it should come from meat is especially strange since other riders of his team were tested and did not have this drug.
More likely is that he used blood-doping and some of the drug was left behind in the blood. For blood-doping you need bloodsamples with lots of red bodies for the aircirculation. It makes sense to use that drug they found to get 'more air in', as it were. Than later in the Tour he gets the injections with the pre-prepared blood, but the substance had not fully disappeared yet. It was such a small amount the teamdoctors probably could not detect it themselves. Remember, Astana has a history with blood-doping.

[Lousada]

Every time I hear about another positive test in cycling I don't feel angry but disappointed and upset. Cycling as a sport seems to be working so hard to clear its name but time and again we hear that so and so has been caught or yada yada is under suspicion. I genuinely felt upset when I heard the news this morning it really is such a shame.

The media has connected the terms "Cycling" and "Doping" in the same way they connect "Motorracing" and "Deaths". According to the media these terms could only excist together.
Just watch, no matter how obscure the motorracing event, if there is a death it's sure to hit the media in hysteria. The same way with any positive drugtest in cycling.

[Mark]

I really hope he hasn't been taking drugs. Especially after watching cycling especially in the late 90's and then years later realising that those spectacular performances by the likes of Riis, Virenque and most of all, Pantani, were all down to drugs :(