Alberto Contador Found Guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation

The CAS has partially upheld the appeals filed by WADA and the UCI and has found Alberto Contador guilty of a doping offence. As a consequence, Alberto Contador is sanctioned with a two-year period of ineligibility starting retroactively on 25 January 2011, minus the period of the provisional suspension served in 2010-2011 (5 months and 19 days). The suspension should therefore come to an end on 5 August 2012.

On 21 July 2010, a rest day following the 16th stage of the 2010 Tour de France Contador underwent a doping test. The analyses of the urine samples ("A" and "B") revealed the presence of clenbuterol, a prohibited substance classified as an anabolic agent on the 2010 WADA list of prohibited substances. On 25 January 2011, following the investigation, the RFEC proposed a suspension of one year to Alberto Contador who refused it. On 14 February 2011, the RFEC decided to exonerate Alberto Contador of any sanction.

On 24 March 2011, the UCI filed an appeal with the CAS, followed by another appeal filed by WADA on 29 March 2011. Both entities requested the CAS to annul the decision of the RFEC and to impose on the Athlete a period of ineligibility of two years from the date of the CAS award. The UCI also requested that a fine be imposed on the Athlete.

Alberto Contador alleged that the presence of clenbuterol in his system originated from eating contaminated meat. But the UCI and WADA analytical finding of the Athlete concluded that the presence of clenbuterol was more likely to be the result of the ingestion of a contaminated food supplement.

Alberto Contador is ineligible for two years. Furthermore, in applicable regulations, the 2010 Tour de France results achieved by Alberto Contador disqualified as well as the results obtained in all competitions in which he participated after 25 January 2011. The Panel will rule in a separate award and at a later stage on the request filed by UCI to impose a fine of at least EUR 2’485’000.

Source: CAS