The long-awaited outcome of the Alberto Contador Clenbuterol case will now face further delays, according to CAS, with the media reporting last week being faulted.
Last week the Associated Press published details of what it said was WADA dissatisfaction with how the hearing was conducted, specifically the actions of the CAS panel which it stated prevented a WADA witness from speaking. The story was then relayed by many other media.
That followed on from suggestions from one of the main backers of the RadioShack Nissan team, Flavio Becca, who suggested that Contador’s Saxo Bank team may have held its training camp in Israel to try to influence the CAS decision. The chairman of the arbitration panel, Efraim Barak, is from Israel.
CAS has released a brief statement today saying that it has clarified the situation with all parties concerned and will proceed with the original panel.
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has noted with great disappointment that some media have reported certain rumours in relation to the arbitration procedure involving the International Cycling Union (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Alberto Contador and the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC),” it wrote.
“The CAS will not comment on these allegations. However, the CAS has requested the parties to clarify whether, at this stage, any of them wanted to challenge the composition of the arbitral panel. As all answers were negative, the Panel will now be able to resume its mission.”
The decision was thought likely to come this week, but CAS has now extended the timeframe by another fortnight.
“Unfortunately, this regrettable incident has slightly delayed the work of the Panel,” it stated. “The publication of the final decision should now take place during the week of 31 January 2012.”
Contador tested positive for Clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour de France. He was cleared by the Spanish federation RFEC in February and while this was appealed by both the UCI and WADA, delays in the legal process meant that he was able to race a full season.
He won the Giro d’Italia, took several other victories and finished fifth overall in the Tour de France.