Tour de France - Boonen camp to make case

Eurosport - Tue, 23 Jun 23:32:00 2009

Belgium's former world road race champion Tom Boonen is to appear at a court in Paris on Thursday in a bid to reverse the ban on him competing in the Tour de France.

23/06 news Boonen - 0

The judge is expected to make a ruling next week, his lawyer, Jean-Louis Dupont, said.

The cyclist's legal team decided their case stood a better chance in a civil court rather than before the French sports tribunal, in the limited time available before the race starts at Monaco on July 4.

The 28-year-old sprint specialist was barred from the Tour by its organisers, the Amaury Sports Organisation, following his positive test for cocaine in April, even though the test was taken outside the sporting calendar.

Boonen and his Quick Step team said they would pursue all legal channels to contest this decision, saying they had been helped by a statement by the sport's governing body the UCI.

In it the UCI said they would not be taking punitive action over the six-time Tour de France stage winner's positive test.

Boonen, who missed last year's Tour for similar reasons, still faces possible criminal charges in Belgium arising from the drug test on April 25 2009.

Boonen first tested positive for cocaine in May last year, although he escaped any criminal charges on the condition he would stay away from any future drugs scandal inside a three-year period.

AFP

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  1. Tell me this if you can. Using cocaine is a criminal­ offence so far as I am aware in every civilised­ country and I would have considered that Boonen's­ offence was "in season" as he had been racing­ on either side of being caught.. It seems pointless for­ officials to make unannounced visits to take samples if­ as they seem are not worth the effort when a "big­ name" is involved. I seem to remember other riders­ being suspended for not complying with testing­ procedures - most prominent being Rasmussen. You also­ have the farce involving Valverde where he can race­ everywhere but Italy despite his alleged involvement in­ Operation Puerto while others have been banned. ­ "What's good for the goose...."

    From Barrtally, on Fri 26 Jun 11:00PM

  2. out out out

    From Francis O, on Thu 25 Jun 8:15AM

  3. I'm sick of the ASO and UCI. I don't care about­ the politics of this sport. I just want to see them­ ride!!! Anyways, Cocaine is not a performance enhancing­ drug, only recreational! they should know that.

    From milotupy, on Thu 25 Jun 2:18AM

  4. This is a typo error. It should read PACKING his case­ for a holiday during July. At least that's what he­ should do, go on holiday and give us all a rest. I­ suggest Columbia, but beware of the customs official in­ latex gloves on return.

    From John, on Wed 24 Jun 8:41PM

  5. Why is he making Cases? Is it the start of a new­ career? Will they have special secret pockets for­ smuggling?

    Of course he's camp, he shaves his­ legs!

    From keir_williams, on Wed 24 Jun 4:08PM

  6. Always Coca Cola! Better drank than snorted, never knew­ it was illegal. Oh, cocaine, well that would be­ different, would it not make you very paranoid on the­ bike, why are they attacking me aaaaah

    From Michael M, on Wed 24 Jun 10:58AM

  7. I believe the Belgian authorities have dropped the case­ regarding his April 25 2009 test due to strong evidence­ that he did not snort coke thus rendering the case weak­ due to insufficient evidence of sniffing.

    From Karen H, on Wed 24 Jun 9:02AM
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