UCI President Tight Lipped Over Successful Contador Appeal

President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), cycling’s world governing body, Pat McQuaid refused to comment on the recent decision to clear Alberto Contador, Spain’s three-time Tour de France champion of doping charges.

The case could well drag on four several months if taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and McQuaid stated: “I can’t – and don’t want to – give a personal opinion until the whole affair is finished, and it’s not finished yet.”

The Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) cleared Contador of doping allegations after the Spaniard tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol upon winning last year’s Tour de France.

Last month, the RFEC’s Disciplinary Committee proposed a one-year suspension but Contador has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming the substance was in some contaminated meat, and appealed, successfully, and the ban was lifted.

But the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) both have the right to appeal themselves against that decision, in which case the CAS will rule.

McQuaid added: “We still have to get the documents from the Spanish federation about their decision not to sanction Contador translated, and then we’ll discuss it with WADA.

“We’re yet to receive the full documentation, but once we get that we’ll have 30 days to decide whether we appeal or not.”