He had stood by his claim that it was unintentional, through a contaminated product. But like everyone else who tests positive, his case had to be heard by the Luxembourg Anti-Doping Agency. So from July 13th, 2012, until the verdict today, January 30th, 2013, Frank Schleck's fate was unknown.
However, today we learned, that he will be given only a 1 year ban, since the diuretic levels in his system were so low. And, the ban had been backdated, so it starts from the time he abandoned the Tour. This means, after July 14th of this year, Frank can race again. So while he has to miss the Tour de France, he comes back in enough time to race in the Vuelta a Espana - just like Alberto Contador last year.
Contador came back from a 2 year suspension last year just in time to race in the Vuelta...and he won! Now while I don't think Frank is going to come back and win the Vuelta, I do think if he trains during his ban (not with the team, of course) then he has the potential to place in the Top 10 GC of the Vuelta.
I guess we will just have to see...
Fränk Schleck given one-year doping ban
The Disciplinary Board could have issued a maximum two-year penalty, but went with one year after noting the extremely low amount of the banned substance.
"Of course I am disappointed by the verdict that has just been announced. I think that the decision to suspend me during one year is too severe considering the fact that the Council acknowledged that I unintentionally consumed a contaminated product. Unfortunately the provisions of the UCI are such that an involuntary contamination is sufficient in order to pronounce a punishment," Schleck said in a statement.
“However I am relieved that the judges acknowledged that the present is not a case of doping and that I had no intention to enhance my performance. This is very important for me, my family, for my team and all those who support me”.
“We will now analyse the decision in detail and decide on potential further steps. However I bear a positive aspect of the decision in mind: the judges acknowledged that I am not a cheater.”
“I wish to thank all my friends and fans who kept their faith in me during this tough period.”
On July 14, 2012, the UCI advised Schleck of an Adverse Analytical Finding in a urine sample collected from him at an in-competition test.
The WADA accredited laboratory in Châtenay-Malabry detected the presence of the diuretic Xipamide in Schleck's urine sample.
Team RadioShack Leopard released a statement, saying: "The Management of Leopard S.A. has taken note of the verdict of the CDD (Conseil de Discipline contre le Dopage) in the case of Fränk Schleck's positive test for xipamide during the 2012 Tour de France."
"Leopard S.A. is content that the anti-doping authorities have now reached a verdict, but will not make any further declarations about the case until it has studied the argumentation of the CDD more closely."
One of my other favorite long-time riders, Ivan Basso, has also served a 2 year suspension during 2006-2008 for alleged ties in the Fuentes case. However, he has made a clean comeback, and I look forward to seeing him race more this year.
Ivan Basso: "I've regained my dignity"
Ivan Basso is scheduled to testify via video at the Operacion Puerto trial on February 11 but the Italian would prefer to put his involvement in the Spanish blood doping ring behind him and focus on his racing.
"I've been called to testify, but for me it's a formality because it was part of my life six or seven years ago," Basso told Cyclingnews in an exclusive interview in Tuscany as he trains for the 2013 season.
"I was banned by the Italian Olympic Committee and was found guilty in an Italian court, so it only brings back bad memories for me."
The Team Cannondale captain initially denied his links to Dr. Fuentes when Operacion Puerto exploded during the final days of his dominant victory at the 2006 Giro d'Italia. Yet he was forced to flee the start of the 2006 Tour de France in Strasbourg by a backdoor when the allegations of blood doping became much stronger.
While still in denial, Basso quit CSC and joined the Discovery Channel team during the winter of 2006. He rode several races but was then formally placed under investigation by the Italian Olympic Committee in April and was given a two-year ban.
Basso made a comeback with the Liquigas team in 2009 and went on to finish fourth in the Vuelta and then won the 2010 Giro d'Italia.
Now 35, Basso is no longer the rider he was while working with Bjarne Riis at his peak. He finished fifth in the 2012 Giro d'Italia and 25th at the Tour de France.
He has published some of his blood data and power metre profiles online, but has always refused to speak in detail about his past as a doper or speak to help make cycling cleaner for the future. True to his hard working and reserved nature, Basso prefers to let his racing do the talking.
"When you've lied so much, people don’t want just words. The wind blows words away, as we say in Italian. People want facts. I've got to produce facts, as I did in 2009 and 2010," Basso told Cyclingnews.
"I won the 2010 Giro d'Italia, finished on the podium in another Giro and was on the podium at the Vuelta. People want facts: my results are my facts, as is the possibility to look at the details: your values, what the anti-doping associations says about you, your biological passport.
"There's no point in me telling fairy tales. People have eyes, heart and a mind to evaluate what they're see."
"I know people were very disappointed with me but then I came back and won the Giro d'Italia again and a few weeks later a magazine published info on my biological passport and said 'This race was won by a clean rider'. I think that's important. I didn’t only say I'd done all the controls, the people were able to see it."
Can people now trust Ivan Basso?
"Yes. 100 per cent," he replied. "I know I can't be considered a saint. That'd be wrong. But I think I've regained my dignity.
"When I came back in 2008, I made some promises and I've kept them. I was also lucky to consolidate them with some important victories and just by being transparent."
Basso claims he has not followed the USADA investigation into Lance Armstrong or the Texan's partial confession. He has little to say on the expected Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
"It's nothing to do with me. I've served my two-year ban. I'm focused on doing a great 2013 and 2014 and maybe even later," he said.
"It's not up to me to take the moral high ground and judge other people. A true leader is followed in silence. It's about 'leading by example', that's my mission now. It's about having the respect of my teammates. I don’t want to think about the past. I want to think about the present and about the future."
