Michael Rasmussen criticises anti-doping measures, supports Alberto Contador
Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen has claimed the anti-doping measures in his sport are too severe, saying that innocent riders are punished as a consequence.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) recently revealed that Alberto Contador, winner of this year's Tour de France, tested positive for Clenbuterol during the second rest day of the race. The Spaniard,
who chose to remain silent on the issue until after the UCI's announcement, claimed the positive test had been caused by meat imported from Spain.
"[Contador's case] is another example of the failure of the system,” Rasmussen told Dutch daily
De Pers. "If you can be suspended and stripped of your yellow jersey by food contamination, then something is wrong. The doping justice system leaves no room for logic and humanity. In normal society, the prosecutor must prove that you are guilty.
In sport it’s the opposite: an athlete must prove his innocence."
Removed from the 2007 Tour de France
Rasmussen, who was removed from the 2007 Tour after lying about his whereabouts in the lead-up to the race, believes himself to have been on the receiving end of an arbitrary punishment procedure by the
Tour organizers.
"I gave the wrong information about my whereabouts, nothing more. But usually you only get a warning for that. They interpreted the rules in their own way for me," said the Dane, who received a two-year
ban from cycling and had his contract with Dutch team RaboBank terminated as a result of the incident.
“I would prefer a system that let a couple of guilty riders slip through rather than run a system that punished the innocent. I am innocent but I still get punished.”
Having raced for Italian continental team Miche-Silver Cross in 2010, Rasmussen said he is hopeful of landing a deal with Bjarne Riis' Saxo Bank outfit for next season, where Contador is also set to race,
should his provisional ban be lifted.
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