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Tue 7 Oct, 2:07 pm UTC

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German federation set to ban Stefan Schumacher

By AFP

Double Tour de France stage winner Stefan Schumacher is facing a two-year ban and a fine after confirmation of a positive test for EPO (erythropoietin), the German cycling federation (BDR) said Tuesday.

Schumacher was the second rider on Monday to have been exposed as a drugs cheat, following the news that Italian Leonardo Piepoli, who won the race's 10th stage in the Pyrenees, also tested positive for the banned blood booster. The BDR said they would be looking to ban Schumacher, the winner of the Tour's two time trials, for two years.

"The aim is at least a two-year ban. A fine and paying damages are sanctions that are also being considered," said BDR chief Rudolf Scharping in a statement.

He said Schumacher could see his sanctions reduced if he were to collaborate with an ensuing probe.

"Schumacher could positively influence our verdict if he decides he wants to collaborate and tell us from whom he got the drugs," Scharping told SID news agency. "All the relevant documents will be sent to the French (AFLD) and German (NADA) national anti-doping agencies."

Schumacher on Monday denied all knowledge of doping.

But news of his positive test for a new kind of EPO called CERA (Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator) - previously thought undetectable - was confirmed to his Gerolsteiner team boss by Tour de France chief Christian Prudhomme on Monday.

Gerolsteiner boss Hans-Michael Holczer told SID: "The director of the Tour, Christian Prudhomme, has confirmed it and I have no doubt that it (Schumacher's positive test) is true."

Holczer added that legal action would be taken against Schumacher.

Schumacher caused a minor sensation at this year's race when he won both time trials, both times leaving Switzerland's two-time world champion Fabian Cancellara in his wake. Schumacher went into the Tour already a target of testers from the AFLD and after they analysed blood samples from the German, following their pioneering of a new blood test for CERA, he was found to have used the drug.

One test was carried out at a laboratory in Lausanne, the other at the laboratory used by the AFLD.

Schumacher, who has recently signed for the Quick Step team, finds himself in a second drugs scandal inside a year. He was allowed to race at the Tour despite testing positive for amphetamines last year, only he was not banned because the test was carried out by police while he was driving.

He is the third rider from this year's Tour to test positive for CERA, the others being Piepoli and Italian climber Riccardo Riccò. Also, Manuel Beltran and Moises Duenas tested positive for EPO during the Tour.

© AFP 2008

User Comments

There are 7 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 7 of 7 comments

  • Another sad day for cycling.

  • Another sad day in one way, a happy day in another. Again acheat has been found out. To be honest this is no surprise and really good. Anyone who saw his rides must have doubted whe these rides came from and TV commentators did comment without making direct accusations. It's taken it's time but I had very serious doubts about him and at last he has been found out.

    The worst thing is how they deny any wrong doing. I think the people they lie to the most are themselves. At least David Millar confessed and got it cleared up.

    I mainly feel sorry again for riders who have been denied results by these cheats. But well done to the tour for persisting with the testing.

  • The sooner life bans are brought in the better.

    David Millar only confessed because he was caught. As far as I'm concerned he should be boycotted.

  • A life ban is the only answer, they know what they are doing & should know the cost when caught .

    People like Millar & Schumacher are stopping clean riders from winning & one day big sponsors will say enough is enough and move to another sport to sponsor.

  • It has to be a life ban, a couple of riders will pick it up, and it would send shockwaves through the rest of Peletons.

    The Cycling Federations are doing a lot, but we have to go Life Bans, not just in cycling, but across all sports.

  • Is it me or it really seems that tests performed by AFLD are more efficient that those made by UCI...

    Blowmonkey says "One day big sponsors will say enough is enough and move to another sport to sponsor." but I think it is not new (remember Festina case) and several sponsors already abandoned the ship, sometimes to focus on other sports with less doping cases (but not necessarily less doping). During or at the end of current season, at least Saunier Duval, Credit Agricole and Gerolsteiner teams are dismantled.

    Now there is an empty place in Quickstep team. Bettini is surely in a bad mood, since he has not got another yearly contract while his team prefers to sign Schumarer... Mayby it is an Opportunity for Contador to get a didicated team to have free hands to race next Tour de France ?

  • I knew it was too good to be true, the way this guy stormed to those time trial victories, and the way he went up the road in the Southern Alps (stage leading up the Bonnette for example). I even said to the lads at work, 'I wonder if he's taken something', and how sad is that when we see a great piece of riding, but then you start wondering if it's enhanced in any way !

    And then we get a pearler from the IOC deputy (who happens to be German, and we know how the Germans feel about cycling at the moment), saying ban cycling from the next Olympics, because of Schumacher and Piepoli cases coming to light.

    These guys are ruining our sport and should be banned for life, period.

    God, they've got me fuming. I get sick of people asking me if I've taken something, even if it is in a jokey manner.

  • 1

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