The challenge facing Chris Froome as he seeks to avoid a doping charge has been given greater context by a freedom of Information request that revealed UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) had just three adverse findings for Salbutamol in three years and all led to charges.
Froome had twice the permitted limit of the anti-asthma drug when tested at the Vuelta a Espana in September. As the drug is not banned outright, if he can prove he kept to the permitted dosage, he would avoid a ban and being stripped of his victory in that race.
Speaking at the Ruta del Sol last month, Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “I’m not going to go into great detail about it, but 100% we’re behind him and 100% backing him.
“We’ve got full knowledge of the situation and we’re working closely to resolve the situation. The violation itself is all about the number of puffs [Froome took on his inhaler], it’s not about the urine. Has he taken more than 16 puffs in that allowable period? No, no. I’m confident he didn’t break the rules – 100% confident.”
Eurosport reports that despite large numbers of asthma sufferers in professional sport, there are few examples of athletes who take the legal amount of puffs exreting more than the 1,000 nanograms per millilitre concentration threshold for Salbutamol set by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Salbutamol accounted for three of the 109 adverse analytical findings processed by Ukad in the three years between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017 and all three led to anti-doping rule violation cases – as did as 77 of the 109 cases overall.
Froome is next due to compete at Tirreno-Adriatico from Wednesday.
Bargain wheels, that cost more than the 3 out of 4 whole bikes listed here? This is very very far from bargain....
I do agree, you don't want to fight off someone who has a 1,5ton 200km/h sledgehammer.
There is a junction in Dartford where you can guarantee at least three cars will just go through on red. I have been moving through on green and...
You had a frame!!?!! Luxury. I started out with 4 twigs and 2 tennis balls...
If that driver still has a job after that then Sainsbury's should be held criminally liable when he inevitably kills someone...
I haven't visited the tweet about this, I suspect it would make me very angry at these people and I would not be able to avoid taking issue with...
Unfortunately effective negative reinforcement is even more lacking than positive reward for Doing The Right Thing......
if only they would stick to burgers, insted of getting involved in town planning.
I doubt the horses in the new forest or dartmoor get cyclist training. But they seem completely indifferent to cyclists. So what are the horse...
exactly. Unless there's something that stops them (oh, wait, black boxes..)