In case four-time Tour de France winner cannot resolve his salbutamol case in time, he might be out of this year’s biggest Tour.
Apperantly, reports claim that Tour de France organizers are already planning to deny Froome a place in the race if until then; his doping case is not resolved.
On September last year, the champion returned an adverse finding for a known asthma drug called salbutamol during his victory at 2017 Vuelta a Espana.
Froome, 32, has been constantly denying any blame saying that he hasn’t exceeded the allowed limit of the asthma drug and that his actions has always been in accordance with his team’s doctor. According to team Sky’s man, he should be eligible to participate in any future cycling event as long as he knows that he hasn’t violated the Anti-Doping rules in any way.
That is why, he has openly expressed his schedule for this season including Giro d’Italia where he hopes to add the big title to his existing Vuelta a Espana and Tour de France crowns.
No official communication yet
Until now, team Sky haven’t received any official communication from the ASO or UCI indicating that Froome is not allowed to ride the Tour since his case is yet to be concluded.
“As Chris has said, he wants to see this process resolved as quickly as possible. Chris and the team are continuing to do all we can to achieve this,” team Sky’s official statement read.
Even though according to the UCI rules, they can suspend Froome from the sport, Lappartient said on Wednesday that he in fact didn’t want to do that.
“It’s possible and it’s true that we have this power. But for salbutamol, it’s never been done, and we have to respect the rights of Chris Froome. It’s not possible to have a specific treatment for him,” he said.
“And no other international federation has taken this decision for salbutamol. So if we were the only international federation to do this – and just for one rider – I think we would be in the wrong. And could badly lose if it went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”
