Chris Froome: the new Lance Armstrong
The world of sports has already accustomed us to "soap operas", those stories that go beyond sports and become a regular theme in newspapers. The latest installment of these novels is the alleged doping of British cyclist star Chris Froome, considered by many the best rider in the world. The only official statement of Froome and his team, the powerful Sky, occurred on December 13, the date on which the positive was made public. The athlete said that he had only done what the doctor said, comments that were fully supported by his team.
The controversy surrounding the stellar athlete came after a control that tested positive for excess salbutamol (two thousand nanograms, twice the limit allowed in cycling competitions) on September 7, after the dispute of the XVIII stage of the Vuelta a Spain. The last race of Froome took place on September 20, 2017, when it was in third place in the World Championship in the time trial. Precisely, that same day the legal anti-doping service of the International Cycling Union (UCI) notified him his positive. It is necessary to remember that the Tour de France four-time champion is asthmatic and uses salbutamol to fight that disease.
Chris Froome's novel has had several interesting chapters, although of doubtful veracity. First that the rider was aspiring Ventolin not during the stage, but at the end, not to cough a lot in the press conference and prevent everyone from knowing about his cold. Later it was pointed out that the cause of the positive was dehydration. Then the script was changed and a rare kidney disease came up that was responsible for Froome going from a hundred to two thousand nanograms in his urine in just 24 hours. The latest installment of this plot promoted that the cyclist, advised by his wife and manager, Michelle Cound, would be negotiating to accept a six-month sanction for "negligence", which would allow him to reappear on March 21.
However, the British cyclist has denied the version of the Italian Corriere della Sera in which he ensures that he will accept such negligence in the case of doping to be in the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. "I have seen the report in Corriere della Sera. It is completely false, "says the world's best rider in his twitter account, without changing his official position. These statements were produced only twenty-four hours after the article published by the sports media of Italy. At the moment, Chris Froome is in South Africa preparing the next cycling season, while putting a bit of land between him and the controversy. His incursion in cycling in 2018 should start for him on February 14 in the Vuelta a Andalucía. Also, he would continue with the Giro d'Italia, a competition that already offered him two million euros to participate, despite his positive doping.
The truth is that the UCI is very interested in clarifying this matter as quickly as possible. According to statements by the president of this entity, the Frenchman David Lappartient, 'Froome is not just any runner. Has more money. You can hire more experts to speak for him and provide more exculpatory documents. We can not just pass the signs. It's time to resolve the case quickly, but defending the rights of the athlete. " Due to the seriousness of the situation, the International Cycling Union gave Froome more time to justify the high levels of the substance in his blood, instead of temporarily suspending it. The French director also said that "Sky should have suspended Froome and not let him run until there is a decision on his case."
The case file is still in the possession of the UCI's legal anti-doping service (LADS), which is waiting for the scientific response of the famous cyclist to immediately consult with external lawyer Antonio Rigozzi if he is sanctioned. If Chris Froome accepted the LADS decision, the case would be closed automatically. Otherwise, the UCI Anti-Doping Court would decide, whose decision would be appealable before the Arbitral Tribunal of Sport (CAS).