PARIS – Cycling’s world ruling body announced Wednesday that Belgian Roy Sentjens, of the Milram team, has been provisionally suspended following a positive test for the banned blood booster EPO.

“The decision to provisionally suspend Mr Sentjens was made in response to a report from the WADA-accredited laboratory in Cologne indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of Recombinant EPO in a urine sample collected from him at an out-of-competition test on 16 August 2010,” said the statement from the UCI (International Cycling Union).

Sentjens will remain provisionally suspended “until a hearing panel convened by the Belgium Cycling Federation (RLVB) determines whether Mr Sentjens has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules”.

The statement added: “Mr Sentjens has the right to request and attend the analyses of his B sample”.

EPO (erythropoietin) can significantly enhance performance by boosting the oxygen-rich red blood cells in the blood.

Article: AFP