Le Monde | • Updated | By
The Italian Luca Paolini, Katusha rider of the Russian team, tested positive for cocaine after the fourth stage of the Tour de France run Tuesday, July 7.
The International Cycling Union confirmed the news Friday in a statement, adding that the rider was positive for benzoylecgonine, the major metabolite of this drug. Paolini has the right to request the analysis of the B sample but is provisionally suspended, meaning he leaves this Friday night the Tour de France.
The Katusha precise égalment in a statement, it will not take any sanction against his rider, pending this new analysis.
Winner of the classic Gent-Wewelgem in April, Paolini is 38 years one of the most experienced riders in the peloton. This is the first positive test on the Tour de France from that of Fränk Schleck in 2012.
Cocaine is authorized by the World Anti-Doping code out of competition, but not during competition. The benzoylecgonine detection window in urine is longer than that of cocaine itself, which is about forty-eight hours. According to this study, it can extend up to six days. Anyway, this is the positive control date is decisive in this case.
No comments:
Post a Comment