The professional rider’s union, Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC), has called on Team Sky to voluntarily suspend Chris Froome after the four-time Tour de France winner returned an adverse test for the closely monitored steroid – Salbutamol.
In its press statement today, the MPCC believes that a voluntary suspension of Froome by his team would “allow the rider and its team to focus on their defense with serenity, but also to avoid tension among many managers and riders.”
“Chris Froome’s abnormal test result triggered a huge public outrage. When it comes to ‘specified substance’, such as salbutamol, provisional suspension is not mandatory and the rider is free to choose it or not. Nevertheless, MPCC wishes to make a statement on this topic,” the statement adds.
“Chris Froome’s abnormal test result triggered a huge public outrage. When it comes to ‘specified substance’, such as salbutamol, provisional suspension is not mandatory and the rider is free to choose it or not. Nevertheless, MPCC wishes to make a statement on this topic,” the release said on the MPCC’s website.
“Once again, trouble has been brought upon cycling with the suspicion of a violation of the international anti-doping rules. Given all the efforts made to prevent these kind of events from happening, this is regrettable.”
The MPCC says that its rules are there to provide transparency into team practices for “the benefit of all, and to benefit cycling as well.”
The statement continued, “this is the reason why MPCC and its Board of Directors, without making any assumption towards the final decision, asks Team Sky to suspend its rider on a voluntary basis, until the end of the procedure.” “This measure would allow the rider and its team to focus on their defense with serenity, but also to avoid tension among many managers and riders.”
According to cycling’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) anti-doping protocol, Froome does not have to be suspended from competition as a result of the test.
The UCI itself issued a press release this morning, clarifying its anti-doping regulations after some confusion surrounding Froome’s case and the way in which is was being dealt with. So far, no time frame has been given as to when the case may be resolved.
Of the eighteen WorldTour teams, seven are currently members of the MPCC, Ag2r, Bora-Hansgrohe Cannondale-Drapac, Dimension Data, FDJ, Lotto-Soudal and Team Sunweb. However, Team Sky is not a member.
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