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news
UCI logo 2015Katusha's Luca Paolini tests positive for cocaine
Katusha’s Luca Paolini is out of the Tour de France after testing positive for cocaine in a sample taken earlier this week.
In a statement, world cycling’s governing body, the UCI said:
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that it has notified Italian rider Luca Paolini of an Adverse Analytical Finding of Cocaine (Benzoylecgonine metabolite) in a sample collected in the scope of an in-competition control on 7 July 2015 during the Tour de France.
The rider has the right to request and attend the analysis of the B sample.
In accordance with UCI Anti-doping Rules, the rider has been provisionally suspended until the adjudication of the affair.
At this stage of the procedure, the UCI will not comment any further.
Paolini’s team added this evening:
Team Katusha has been informed tonight by the UCI that Italian rider Luca Paolini has been notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding. The presence of cocaine has been detected in a sample collected on July 7th.
According to the UCI Regulations the rider has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect. In application of the Team policy the rider has been immediately withdrawn from the Tour de France.
Bearing in mind the anti doping regulations, the team will wait until the analysis of the B sample has been conducted before taking any further action or making any further comment.
Team Katusha is fully determined to collaborate with the anti-doping agencies in order to resolve the matter.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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18 comments
Google "Pot Belge" and you'll see that coke has a long history in the sport...
Slightly jumping the gun, the 2nd test is still to be done, but...
Whether he took it recreationally or to enhance performance is a bit by the by. The main issue is that taking coke is hugely risky for a pro cyclist. They torture their heart and lungs every time they hit the road. But choosing to take a substance that constricts blood vessels while increasing heart rates and blood pressure could lead to a cardiac arrest is beyond stupid, it's fatalistic.
The morals of taking coke while an athlete is up for debate but the utter nihilistic stupidity of it is not.
been partying with Torpedo Tom?
If you take PE drugs as a matter of course, then snorting an 'upper' when off the bike is nothing (and probably seen as better than sinking a few beers - especially in a sport where keeping weight off is essential). No shocker here. He'll probably claim social use, agree to attend a substance abuse course, and get a reduced ban.
For once i totally agree with you. I bet he pleads social use and gets a 6 month ban. It would be better if Katusha just sacked him.
Benzoylecgonine will remain traceable up to 12 days. it was used in the 50-70s as an upper in 6 day racing and taken at the end of long stages- the base of the Belgian mix. Nowadays this was prob in a wee party night before the tour and of no real advantage physically over his competitors. Masking agents are very nearly a think of the past such has the exactness of testing now.
But out he goes and only Kristoff will miss him
Class A drug? Class A stupid to take during competition.
I wouldn't fancy riding in close formation with someone who's wired.
Partytime Paolini has a guaranteed spot in my fantasy team from now on.
As a professional Cyclist this guy must surely know the consequences of his actions whether or not this drug was used for recreational purposes or otherwise. He deserves all he gets !
If Cocaine is a masking agent then a ban, if however it is just recreational I see no reason for a ban. As a drug is Cocaine something that pro sports people should get a ban for. Plenty of footballers got away with it (ie. Merson).
No surely in must have come from the steak he eat last night . It's a well known fact that those Aberdeen Angus bulls are partial to a little crack !
I'm struggling to understand this. Did he WANT to be caught?? It feels a bit like 'suicide by cop' -- maybe he just wanted to quit the Tour and didn't want to break bones as an excuse.
At last a doping issue my non-cycling friends can easily understand!
Class-A are illegal, simples.
According to cyclingnews.com: "Cocaine is banned in-competition, but not outside of competition". Also hard to see how excessive talking could be performance-enhancing?
He will almost certainly prevail on appeal. His behavior was absolutely up to snuff and everyone nose it.
Sorry.
Hmmmm.
I wonder when cocaine got into his blood...