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Kolobnev's B sample confirmed positiveAlexander Kolobnev.jpg

Kolobnev's B sample confirmed positive

Russian rider now faces sacking and massive fine
by Mark Appleton
Wed, Jul 20, 2011 13:05
5

The UCI has confirmed the positive anti-doping test carried out earlier in the Tour on Alexander Kolobnev after Stage 5 of the race, from Carhaix to Frehel.

The organisation said today in a press statement that the analysis of the Russian Katusha rider’s B sample carried out yesterday confirmed the result of the initial adverse analytical finding by the Anti-doping laboratory of Châtenay-Malabry following the analysis of the A sample.

Therefore, the statement says, in accordance with the Anti-doping rules, the UCI will request the Russian Federation to open a disciplinary procedure against the 30-year old rider.

When the result of the A sample test was announced Kolobnev voluntarily suspended himself from the Tour. His team issued a statement at the time saying: "Internal rules in Team Katusha say that the rider, if the B-sample also tests positive, he will be fired and will have to pay five times his salary as a fine."

Some reports suggest that fine will be in the order of  £1.75m.

Kolobnev tested positive for the banned substance Hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic that can be used as a masking agent for other prohibited substances.
 

doping
Alexander Kolobnev
Katusha
2011 Tour de France

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5 comments

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atlaz | 13 years ago
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Skippy - I don't, for a second, think that teams are totally unaware of the behaviour of their riders. Look at Garmin; they have set their stall out as a 100% doping free environment and are pushing beyond the rules to ensure they're clean. What should happen is that not only should teams fine riders and riders be excluded but the UCI should fine and possibly even remove licenses/"demote" teams for multiple infractions. This would ensure that investors couldn't take the risk of having their teams dope to make money as it could destroy the teams.

It's very easy to blame riders, but teams from the lowest level have a part to play in cleaning things up or making things worse.

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skippy | 13 years ago
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@argy no the sport is not getting cleaned up ! That someone tried it on and got caught is one TOO MANY !

Hope that the Team collect the full monies , £1.5 m and so send the message to ALL THE OTHERS PLAYING " GAMES " !

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FatAndFurious | 13 years ago
0 likes

A shame.

He only rated a 5 out of 10 on the UCI Index of Suspicion too.

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Argy replied to FatAndFurious | 13 years ago
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neildmoss wrote:

A shame.

He only rated a 5 out of 10 on the UCI Index of Suspicion too.

Very sad, 2 .... oh well, the sport is getting cleaned up slowly but surely! 29

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1961BikiE | 13 years ago
0 likes

Very sad. I have to say, and I have no other reason other than being very suspicious of Russian billionaires who plough money into sport teams, that Katusha are just one of those teams where I suspect every rider of being doped.

Which is a bit sad when things get to that stage. 39

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