The president of the International Cycling Union UCI, David Lappartient, has called for a decision before the Tour de France in the doping affair surrounding Chris Froome. “I don’t think there will be a decision before the giro, but it should be before the tour. The affair puts everyone, the organizers, the UCI and the drivers in an untenable situation,” Lappartient told the French newspaper L’Equipe.
The Giro d’Italia, which begins on 4 May, is only a few weeks away. Until the tour on 7 July, however, there must be a clear stance, explained Lappartient. “I thought it would be done sooner,” said the Frenchman. The case is currently being dealt with by the World Cycling Federation’s Anti-Doping Tribunal.
Froome himself still expects to be at the start of the season’s highlight. And there is indeed a lot to be said for the British at the moment, because the early decision demanded by Lappartient seems unrealistic. In the opinion of most experts, the case is too complicated to be able to react quickly.
The rules of the world federation are clear: Only if there is a decision, Froome should be taken out of circulation. Until then, the four-time Tour winner remains eligible to start, especially as his Team Sky has not yet made any preparations to voluntarily suspend his star driver.
It had already become known in December that a doping test of Froome during his Vuelta triumph in September 2017 showed too high a concentration of the asthma drug salbutamol. Froome had repeatedly asserted his innocence.