Cyclist convicted of doping
February 9, 2012
German cycling gold medallist Jan Ullrich was convicted on Thursday by the international Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) of violating anti-doping rules.
Sport's highest court ruled the 38-year-old, who retired in 2007, was "fully engaged" in the blood-doping program of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.
The CAS panel "came to the conclusion that Jan Ullrich engaged at least in blood doping in violation of... anti-doping rules," the court said.
Ullrich, the only German winner of the Tour de France, was sentenced to a two-year ban on professional cycling, beginning retroactively from August 22, 2011.
The court also nullified all of Ullrich's results since May 1, 2005, including his podium finish in the 2005 Tour, which was won by American Lance Armstrong, and his victory in the 2006 Tour de Suisse. Spanish cyclist Francisco Mancebo will move up from fourth to third in the 2005 Tour.
No life-time ban - yet
However the CAS rejected a request lodged by the International Cycling Union (UCI) to impose a life ban and to void all of Ullrich's results since May 2002. The CAS said Ullrich's six-month ban in 2002 for using amphetamines outside of competition should not be classed as a doping offense.
A second drug-related offense can trigger a life ban from all cycling activities, including coaching.
The scandal involving Eufemiano Fuentes was revealed in 2006, when Spanish police carried out several raids and discovered more than 200 code-named blood bags, some of which were linked to cyclists.
Artificially increasing an athlete's red blood cell count can increase their strength, and is considered a form of doping.
acb/jw (SID, dpa)