Froome facing drugs test ban
CHRIS FROOME is facing a ban that would leave his reputation as one of Britain’s greatest sportsmen in tatters after failing a drugs test during his Vuelta a Espana triumph.
Just three days before Froome hoped to cycle away with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, his magnificent 2017 could turn into a nightmare.
The 32-year-old, below, exceeded the permitted levels of the asthma drug salbutamol in a urine test taken on September 7 just days before he added the Vuelta title to his fourth Tour de France. The Team Sky rider’s sample on stage 18 of 2,000 nanograms per millilitre was double the legal limit of 1,000 ng/ml allowed under World Anti-Doping Agency rules.
Froome insists he increased his dosage on doctor’s advice after struggling with the condition during the three-week tour and is fully co-operating with the sport’s governing body, the UCI, the world governing body, who want an explanation of the excessive levels.
But if he cannot explain away the test result, Froome would probably be stripped of his Vuelta crown.
And he could also face a ban of up to a year that would destroy his dream of winning next May’s Giro d’Italia – thus holding all three Grand Tour titles at the same time – then claim a
record-equalling fifth Tour de France. Froome said: “It is well known that I have asthma and I know exactly what the rules are.
“I use an inhaler to manage my symptoms, always within the permissible limits, and I know for sure that I will be tested every day I wear the race leader’s jersey.
“My asthma got worse at the Vuelta so I followed the team doctor’s advice to increase my salbutamol dosage. I took the greatest care to ensure that I did not use more than the permissible dose.
“I take my leadership position in my sport very seriously. The UCI are absolutely right to examine test results and, together with the team, I will provide whatever information they require.”
Froome added to his comments, which were released by Sky, in a tweet later, saying: “Thank you for all the messages of support. I am confident that we will get to the bottom of this.”
Froome’s medical experts and lawyers could argue that the excessive limit could have been caused by several factors including how salbutamol reacts with food, whether he was dehydrated or at altitude or how close to the test he used the inhaler.
He is not banned from riding as this is not regraded as an anti-doping violation, but an adverse analytical finding that requires an explanation.
But others riders in the past have been banned as a result including Italy’s Diego Ulissi, who got a nine-month ban in 2015 for a level of 1920ng/ml, which was slightly below Froome’s.
Team Sky also find themselves under the spotlight again. How good their medical records are concerning Froome’s use of the inhaler in Spain could now prove crucial.
Sky chief Sir Dave Brailsford said: “There are complex medical and physiological issues that affect the metabolism and excretion of salbutamol.
“I have the utmost confidence that Chris followed the medical guidance in managing his asthma symptoms, staying within the permissible dose for salbutamol.”