Oscar Sevilla tests positive for Hydroxyethyl and is banned for six months – Cycling News
Spanish cyclist Oscar Sevilla was accused of using hydroxyethyl starch on August 15, 2010 while he was riding at the Vuelta a Colombia 2010. He won the final time trial stage of the race and also finished the race at second position. The cyclist has now
been banned for six months by the Spanish Cycling Federation after the positive sample B.
The decision has been made after 13 months and the cyclist has participated in many events during that span of time. He has raced at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Vuelta a Colombia and Tour of Utah and it is still unclear if he will be disqualified from
the races or not.
Hydroxyethyl starch is banned by UCI because players have used the chemical to hide the use of EPO or similar drugs. EPO helps to improve the performance as it boosts the red blood cells. Sevilla was provisionally suspended straight away in August 2010 by
the Spanish Cycling Federation. “The decision to provisionally suspend Mr. Sevilla was made in response to a report from the WADA accredited laboratory in Bogota indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of Hydroxyethyl starch in a urine sample collected from
him at an in-competition test at the Vuelta a Colombia on 15 August 2010,” as mentioned in a statement by UCI.
The 34-year-old is a World class climber with specialties in stage races and has dominated many stage races during his career. He has finished the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana in the top ten position several times. Oscar’s team Gobernacion De Antioquia-Indeportes
Antiquia has announced officially that they have analysed the case and believes that the he has not done anything wrong. The team has apparently accepted the suspension.
Oscar’s suspension has started on September 14 and he will be away from the sport for six months until March 2012. It has also been revealed that the cyclist has accepted the suspension and will not appeal against the decision.
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