ASO to block Chris Froome
UPDATE: “The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) confirms that the anti-doping proceedings involving Mr Christopher Froome have now been closed,” read the statement by UCI published earlier today.
According to the UCI, the governing body has considered all the relevant evidence in detail (in consultation with its own experts and experts from WADA) and concluded that Froome’s sample results do not constitute an adverse analytical finding (AAF).
Froome is now certain to start the 2018 Tour de France.
According to the French newspaper Le Monde, organisers of the Tour de France have formally forbidden Chris Froome from signing in for this year’s race. Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) has made the move in order to protect the image of the race, because Froome’s appeal against his drugs test from last September has not been resolved yet.
However, Team Sky is appealing against the decision to the court of arbitration of the French Olympic Committee. Their decision should be announced on Wednesday. That could be further appealed to the court of arbitration for sport, but the court of arbitration for sport will most likely not have enough time to rule on the case before the Tour starts.
“It’s terrible that the sporting authorities have not managed to solve this problem before the start of the world’s biggest race,” Christophe Prudhomme said. “I won’t say anything more but of course, rules have to be modified.”
Team Sky spokesman insists Froome has done nothing wrong, and believes he will be riding the Tour.
We’ll keep you posted as the story develops.
