FRANCE: CYCLING - Frank Schleck fails doping test for diuretic and is out of the Tour de France
Record ID:
644142
FRANCE: CYCLING - Frank Schleck fails doping test for diuretic and is out of the Tour de France
- Title: FRANCE: CYCLING - Frank Schleck fails doping test for diuretic and is out of the Tour de France
- Date: 18th July 2012
- Summary: MONDORF, LUXEMBOURG (MAY 29, 2010) (REUTERS) TOUR DE FRANCE 2010 SIGN FRANK SCHLECK (RIGHT OF PICTURE) POSING WITH HIS BROTHER AND 2010 TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER ANDY SCHLECK (RIGHT OF PICTURE) FRANCORCHAMPS, BELGIUM (JUNE 28, 2010) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) RADIOSHACK NISSAN TEAM LEADER, FRANK SCHLECK, SAYING: "Andy and myself are better together, we run better together, we are stronger together, we understand each other very well and we motivate each other -- not only for the race but also for the training. We are simply better together." PRESENTATION OF THE RADIO SHACK TEAM FRANK SCHLECK (RIGHT OF PICTURE) AND HIS ANDY SCHLECK (CENTRE OF PICTURE) DURING TEAM PRESENTATION FRANCORCHAMPS, BELGIUM (JUNE 28, 2012) (REUTERS) START LINE OF FORMULA ONE RACING TRACK OF FRANCORCHAMPS AND RADIOSHACK CAR FLEET PARKED FRANK SCHLECK AT NEWS CONFERENCE SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE FRANK SCHLECK GETS INTO BUS
- Embargoed: 2nd August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium, France, Luxembourg
- City:
- Country: Belgium Luxembourg France
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA5G2XRAD23UOFHTZ30TCAVNTP8
- Story Text: The Tour de France was rocked on Tuesday when Luxembourg's Frank Schleck, third overall in last year's race, was pulled out of the 2012 edition after failing a dope test for a diuretic.
The older of the Schleck brothers -- Andy won the Tour two years ago -- rides for RadioShack-Nissan and was in 12th place nine minutes and 45 seconds behind leader Bradley Wiggins.
"After being informed by the UCI about the presence of Xipamide in the urine sample of Frank Schleck on July 14, the team has decided to immediately withdraw Frank Schleck from the Tour de France," RadioShack-Nissan said in a statement.
RadioShack said Schleck had gone willingly to the police station and the team hotel had not been searched, although witnesses said uniformed and plain clothes police officers were on patrol in front of the building in Pau on Tuesday evening.
The doping test took place after the 13th stage on July 14 when traces of the "specified drug Xipamide were found in Schleck's urine.
"On the subject of Xipamide the team can declare the following: It is not a product that is present in any of the medicine that the team uses and the reason for the presence of Xipamide in the urine sample of Mr Schleck is unclear to the team," RadioShack added.
Talking to reporters outside the team hotel Navarre, Radio Shack-Nissan manager Phillipe Maertens regretted losing his team leader.
"He was our best rider here. We will need him because of the team classification. It is an important factor which is gone now," he said.
" We must always think that he is innocent (he means: we must presume his innocence) (q: do you think he is?) Yes. Well yes. We have no reason to doubt, we have no choice but to note there is a product, we cannot deny this (q:does he say he is innocent?) Yes. He has no explanation. That's how it is," Maertens added.
Earlier in the day, Cyrille Guimard, former French professional rider and now a cycling commentator, expressed his surprise.
"Frank Schleck after all is an experienced cyclist, I don't see, and on top of that he had nothing to defend in the overall standings, except maybe attempt a stage victory."
"I don't understand that one can end up taking this type of product knowing how they can be detected through controls and knowing the sanctions that go with it. "
According to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations: ""A specified substance is a substance which allows, under defined conditions, for a greater reduction of a two-year sanction when an athlete tests positive for that particular substance."
RadioShack was the outfit of seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong who, along with team manager Johan Bruyneel, is involved in a doping investigation launched by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Both men deny any wrongdoing.
The news on the second rest day came as another blow for the Tour given the stature of Schleck, on the podium last year behind his brother who was himself handed the 2010 Tour title after Spaniard Alberto Contador was stripped of his yellow jersey on doping grounds.
Last year, Russian Alexandr Kolobnev left the Tour for a similar offence and was later cleared by his federation.
On the first Tour rest day last week, France's Remy Di Gregorio was arrested in his team hotel in Bourg en Bresse and put under investigation for possession of illegal medical devices. He was released on probation and denied any wrongdoing. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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