CAS Contador decision published
The Court of Arbitration for Sport today published its decision in the Alberto Contador case (http://www.tas-cas.org/d2wfiles/document/5648/5048/0/FINAL20AWARD202012.02.06.pdf). In summary, the panel concluded that:
a) Contador’s positive test for clenbuterol is more likely to have been caused by the ingestion of a contaminated food supplement than by a blood transfusion or the ingestion of contaminated meat;
b) no evidence had been adduced proving that Contador acted with no fault or negligence or no significant fault or negligence;
c) a two year period of ineligibility has been imposed on Contador running as of 25.01.2011.
Contador is therefore stripped of his last Tour and Giro titles, which now pass to Andy Schleck and Michele Scarponi respectively. Contador’s ban will end in time for him to compete at this year’s Vuelta. The CAS will in due course determine the appropriate fine to impose and also deal with the question of costs.