UCI Suspends Two Spanish Cyclists On Doping Tests
GENEVA, July 17, 2009 (AFP) – World cycling’s governing body said Friday that Spanish cyclists Inigo Landaluze and Ricardo Serrano have been suspended after traces of illicit drug CERA were found in their blood samples recently.
“The decision to provisionally suspend the two riders was made in response to reports from the WADA accredited laboratories in Lausanne and Paris indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of Recombinant EPO (CERA) in blood samples collected from them,” the Internationational Cycling Union (UCI) said in a statement.
CERA was detected in Landaluze’s samples collected during the Dauphine Libere race in France on June 7 and out of competition testing on June 16.
Meanwhile, CERA was found in a sample from Serrano during the Tour of Switzerland, as well as just before the Giro on May 7.
No B sample was collected in the test in May but the UCI argued that the laboratory report “adds evidence to the assertion that Mr Serrano has committed an anti-doping rule violation”.
“The results of these analyzes will be added to the evidence already provided to the Spanish Cycling Federation relating to the abnormal blood profile of Mr Serrano” based on his biological passport, it added.
The provisional suspension pending anti-doping proceedings was notified to the two riders on Wednesday.
Neither rider is taking part in the ongoing Tour de France.
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