UCI president David Lappartient says Froome cannot ride the most important tour of the year with the doping case still active. According to the UCI president, if Froome becomes part of the Tour de France, it would be a real “disaster” for the sport of cycling and it would damage the tour’s reputation drastically.
Running out of patiente
Now, UCI president wants the four time Tour de France winner’s case to come to an end before things develop any further. He ordered UCI’s governing body to investigate whether Team Sky has violated any anti-doping rule after the adverse analytical finding in Froome’s urine that indicated twice the permitted amount of a forbidden asthma drug.
“We need to have a decision as soon as possible. We have to respect the rights of Froome to defend what he thinks and believes with experts,” Lappartient told the BBC earlier today.
“I’m not sure we can have a decision before May’s Giro d’Italia. But I hope we can have it at least before the Tour de France – can you imagine if he’s riding the Giro with spectators crying against him, or if at the end he’s disqualified, that’s difficult for our sport.”
So far, Team Sky seems to have indirectly rejected Lappartient’s suggestion to keep Froome out of competition while his doping case is still unsolved. However, the Frenchman said: “If we have no decision before the Tour de France I will ask them maybe to reconsider their position.”
@UCI_cycling it is very difficult to understand how #Froome of @TeamSky, tells the president of UCI Mr @DLappartient, that he should raise concerns to him directly. I wonder if Mr. Lappartient must also ask #Froome an appointment? I think its the reverse. Too arrogant Mr #Froome https://t.co/Ex5xLpF2pi
— Leonardo Saenz (@lsanzcruz) March 8, 2018
