RadioShack-Nissan would be feeling that after being plagued by endless rumours in 2012, the season could hardly have gotten any worse. Now Fränk Schleck has tested positive and will await a B Sample before any charges are laid upon a rider who last year finished the tour on the podium with his brother Andy. The rumours surrounding the team looked to be dissipating following the lead they hold over Sky in the team classification. A positive B Sample will tip the scales to disaster for the team which is also been caught up in the current Lance Armstrong WADA case. Nothing is certain until the B Sample is announced, although it is a somewhat surpising positive which is another positive test that has been conveniently announced on a rest day.
Both the UCI and Schleck’s team have put out press releases which can be read below. After Rémy Di Gregorio was hauled off the Tour on the first rest day this year a second rest day has been a day of intrigue and surprise. There have been mixed reactions to the initial positive test as in 2008 Schleck was cleared after being linked to the Operacion Puerto scandal and declaring that he had made a payment to the bank account of Dr Eufemiamo Fuentes. Since then there have been suggestions that Schleck has been eluding testers and a positive test was only a matter of time. Hopefully for the sport the B Sample will be negative, similar to Alexandr Kolobnev whose B Sample returned a negative following his A Sample positive last year.
"Our team attaches great value to transparency. Because of these values, we can announce the following as a response to the adverse analytical finding of xipamide in Fränk Schleck's urine sample of July 14 during the Tour de France.
After being informed by the UCI about the presence of xipamide in the urine sample of Fränk Schleck on July 14, the team has decided to immediately withdraw Fränk Schleck from the Tour de France.
Even though an abnormal A sample does not require these measures, Mr. Schleck and the team believe this is the right thing to do, to ensure the Tour de France can go on in calm and that Fränk Schleck can prepare his defense in accordance with the legal timing to do so.
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. Therefore, the team is not able to explain the adverse findings at this point.
However, the team is fully determined to collaborate with the anti-doping agencies in order to resolve the matter."
More can be found here from the RadioShack-Nissan website.
The UCI press release outlining the approach it will take regarding this case can be read in full here.
Both the UCI and Schleck’s team have put out press releases which can be read below. After Rémy Di Gregorio was hauled off the Tour on the first rest day this year a second rest day has been a day of intrigue and surprise. There have been mixed reactions to the initial positive test as in 2008 Schleck was cleared after being linked to the Operacion Puerto scandal and declaring that he had made a payment to the bank account of Dr Eufemiamo Fuentes. Since then there have been suggestions that Schleck has been eluding testers and a positive test was only a matter of time. Hopefully for the sport the B Sample will be negative, similar to Alexandr Kolobnev whose B Sample returned a negative following his A Sample positive last year.
RadioShack-Nissan Team Statement
"Our team attaches great value to transparency. Because of these values, we can announce the following as a response to the adverse analytical finding of xipamide in Fränk Schleck's urine sample of July 14 during the Tour de France.
After being informed by the UCI about the presence of xipamide in the urine sample of Fränk Schleck on July 14, the team has decided to immediately withdraw Fränk Schleck from the Tour de France.
Even though an abnormal A sample does not require these measures, Mr. Schleck and the team believe this is the right thing to do, to ensure the Tour de France can go on in calm and that Fränk Schleck can prepare his defense in accordance with the legal timing to do so.
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. Therefore, the team is not able to explain the adverse findings at this point.
However, the team is fully determined to collaborate with the anti-doping agencies in order to resolve the matter."
More can be found here from the RadioShack-Nissan website.
The UCI press release outlining the approach it will take regarding this case can be read in full here.
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