Multiple world champion and past Olympic gold medallist Jeannie Longo is in danger of missing this year’s world road race championships after a disciplinary action was opened up against her. The 52 year old has received three warnings under the whereabouts system, and faces a ban of up to two years as a result.
Under UCI and national federation rules, designated riders have to provide complete details of their locations in order to make random controls possible. According to l’Equipe, Longo twice failed to do so, receiving warnings by registered mail from the French anti doping agency AFLD.
The third occasion took place in the US, where she was preparing for the French national time trial championships to be held in Boulogne-sur-Mer, where she won her eleventh such title. Doping control officers from USADA arrived at the hotel where she was staying and where she noted she would be available, only to find her absent.
As a result, she received a third warning and the current disciplinary action was commenced. The dossier for the case has been passed on by the AFLD to the French cycling federation, and she will now be required to appear before a hearing. Depending on the outcome of that, she could face a ban of between three months and two years.
Longo continues to be successful in the sport despite her age. She has won the French championship title for the past four years, and taken eleven TT championships in all. Astonishingly, her first national title came 32 years ago.
During her long career she has also won three editions of the women’s Tour de France, gold and silver medals in Olympic Road race, plus silver and bronze in Olympic time trial. Her palmares also includes nine road world championship titles (five in the road race, four in the TT), four track world championship titles (pursuit and points races), as well as three silvers and three bronze medals.
She also showed her versatility in taking the world hour record in 2000 plus the silver medal in 1993 UCI world mountain bike championship.
This year’s world road race championships runs between September 19th and 25th. Despite her age, Longo remains a contender for the medals in the time trial, although her participation now seems to be unlikely.
Also read: Joe Papp accepts he may be called to give evidence in Longo doping hearing