Froome gets green light to race in Tour as drug case dropped
CHRIS FROOME has been cleared to pursue a fifth Tour de France title this weekend after the sport’s world governing body, the UCI, closed its doping case against the Team Sky rider.
Sportsmail revealed yesterday that a decision on the saga was due imminently and the UCI has now confirmed that the 33-year-old Briton — who was facing a ban because a sample given at the Vuelta a Espana last September contained twice the permitted limit for Salbutamol — was in the clear.
The announcement came only a day after it emerged that Tour organisers ASO had tried to ban Froome from the race, although it is now understood that move was actually made a fortnight ago in a bid to pressure the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency into a decision.
While the UCI decision was a source of some embarrassment to the Tour organisers yesterday, the tactic clearly worked and the French now have the race favourite riding without being at the centre of a doping investigation.
It may not, however, guarantee Team Sky a warm reception on the roads of France, with many concluding that with the support of a highly paid legal team, Froome has left the anti-doping system in tatters.
Particularly when it comes to drugs with thresholds, given that Froome has won his case by essentially exposing the flaws in a rule that has been used to ban other riders in the past.
David Lappartient, the UCI president who has been vocal in his criticism of Team Sky and Froome for refusing to withdraw him from racing while the case was ongoing, is understood to be unhappy with the outcome.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme, having confirmed they would no longer attempt to bar Froome, expressed his frustration. ‘All that for this,’ he told French radio.
The UCI said it had received information from WADA that made it clear it would not be able to sanction Froome, leaving him clear to compete for a fourth successive Grand Tour title and his seventh in all.
The UCI said Froome’s team of lawyers and experts finally submitted their explanation for his adverse analytical finding on June 4, stating: ‘The UCI has considered all the relevant evidence in detail (in consultation with its own experts and experts from WADA).
‘On 28 June, WADA informed the UCI that it would accept, based on the facts of the case, that Mr Froome’s sample results do not constitute an (adverse finding). In light of WADA’s unparalleled access to information and authorship of the Salbutamol regime, the UCI has decided to close the proceedings against Mr Froome.
‘The UCI understands there will be significant discussion of this decision, but wishes to reassure all those involved in or interested in cycling that its decision is based on expert opinions, WADA’s advice, and a full assessment of the facts.’
Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford stressed that they ‘have always had total confidence in Chris and his integrity’.
‘This is why we decided that it was right for Chris to continue racing,’ he said. ‘We said at the outset that there are complex medical and physiological issues which affect the metabolism and excretion of salbutamol.’
The UCI and WADA must now be bracing themselves for legal challenges when riders like Diego Ulissi and Alessandro Petacchi were banned for having less salbutamol in their samples.
In a separate statement, WADA said it ‘will not be appealing the UCI’s decision not to assert an Anti-Doping Rule Violation in the case’ of Froome.