ISD-Neri rider Alessandro Colo has been handed a reduced, one-year ban after testing positive for Clenbuterol on the last stage of the Vuelta Mexico, on April 25th. The Italian anti-doping agency CONI announced the decision of the national anti-doping tribunal, stating that he would be sidelined from May 21st of this year until May 20th, 2011. He was also fined 1000 Swiss francs.
The 24 year old is in his first full season with the ISD-Neri team, having taking up a stagiaire position midway through last season. He finished seventh on stage four of the Vuelta Mexico, and 16th overall.
The case has a particular significance in that it is for the same substance as Alberto Contador tested positive for. Colo’s detected level was reportedly four time higher than that of the Spanish Tour winner. Due to the high rate of the Clenbuterol use in meat in the Latin American country, investigators have accepted his claim that he ingested the substance unwittingly.
Contador gave a sample on the second rest day of this year’s Tour, and this was subsequently found to have contained trace amounts of the banned substance. He is claiming that the positive test came after he ate meat from Spain.
Two important points can be taken from the Colo ruling. The first is that the Clenbuterol was accepted as being accidentally ingested from a food source, although the incidence of its use in Latin America is far higher than in Europe.
The second is that even though Colo was adjudged not to be at fault, he still received a twelve month ban.
The UCI is currently studying the Contador case and is expected to make a ruling soon.