Norwegians wary of RFEC hearings
Harald Tiedemann Hansen, president of the Norwegian Cycling Federation, has publicly expressed his concern that the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) will not offer Alberto Contador a fair trial in the disciplinary hearing ordered by the Union Cycliste Internationale
(UCI). According to Hansen, the RCEF “have not shown willingness to clean up their own ranks. I do not have much confidence in their work.”
The RFEC’s bias is far from secret and the ‘jury pool’ is clearly tainted. Contador, who tested positive for plasticisers and trace amounts of banned substance clenbuterol at the Tour de France, which he won, has received overwhelming local support in his
native country. Most notable is the clear bias of the president of the RFEC, Juan Carlos Castaño.
“Personally, I hope this case will turn in favour of the rider, for numerous reasons,” said Castaño on Spanish public radio.
“They have serious challenges with their riders, and they should take this seriously,” said Hansen in reaction to Castaño’s statement. “Such statements show that they still do not take it seriously enough.”
The RFEC had earlier received criticism from the UCI after four Spanish cyclists tested positive in the second half of September, three of the positive tests announced during the World Championships. Oscar Sevilla’s positive was a week earlier while Contador’s
and those of Ezequiel Mosquera and David Garcia, whose tests were taken during the Vuelta a Espana, were revealed during the Championships.
“I think that when four riders were caught for doping during the world championships, Spain should have packed up and gone home,” said Hansen to
ProCycling.no. “It is time that they clean up their ranks.”
Hansen’s countryman Thor Hushovd, who won the World Championships, may have sparked Hansen’s criticism when he offered his own and declared his hope that the president of the Norwegian Cycling Federation would handle things much more professionally than
Castaño has.
"To do it while his doping investigation is still ongoing is odd. I think and I hope it would not have happened in Norway," said Hushovd on Norwegian television.
Both Hushovd and Hansen were also critical of Juan José Martín, mayor of Contador’s hometown of Pinto, for calling the doping investigation an “injustice” despite its lack of resolution.
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