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Cycling Australia issues new doping infraction
By Gerard Knapp
Only weeks after celebrating its most successful Olympic Games in cycling,
the sport in Australia is set to be plunged into a new crisis with the
revelation that the governing body, Cycling Australia, today issued a new
infraction notice for alleged doping.
Graham Fredericks, the CEO of Cycling Australia, confirmed that an
infraction notice was to be served to a member of the Australian junior
track cycling squad. Although Fredericks refused to confirm or deny the
identity of the rider, Cyclingnews understands the rider is Victorian
sprinter Shane Perkins, 17, who won two gold medals at the World Junior
Track Cycling championships in Los Angeles in July.
It's believed the rider tested positive to a stimulant of a recreational
nature or some sort of flu medication following the keirin event on July 29,
where he won the gold medal. However, sources told Cyclingnews that Perkins'
subsequent samples provided in events after the keirin - such as the sprint,
where he also won gold were clear of any banned substances. Perkins may be
stripped of one or both of his gold medals, depending on the outcome of a
possible hearing - if the athlete successfully appeals - and then a ruling
by the UCI.
If Perkins is to lose his gold medal in the keirin - and it has to be
stressed that the rider has 14 days to appeal the finding, which could be
overturned - this would elevate American teenager, Ryan Nelman, into the
bronze medal, while Daniel Thorsen from Australia would be the new gold
medalist and Francesco Kanda (Italy) would take the silver.
The Victorian rumour mill had been spinning for the past week following the
initial revelation of an A sample returning a positive result. Tests were
then conducted on the B sample that confirmed the original finding, with CA
boss Graham Fredericks then faced with the task of informing the rider.
"The infraction notice is to be mailed today," a disappointed Fredericks
told Cyclingnews. The athlete then has 14 days to accept the decision or
appeal. "There's no doubt he'll seek his day in court," he predicted.
The CEO was also aware of this case had a common thread with Australian
cycling's two previous doping-related offences. In 2003, Victorian track
rider Robert Wilson was suspended for two years for testing positive to EPO,
while earlier this year, teenage sprinter Mark French, also from Victoria,
received a two-year suspension for trafficking.
What went wrong?
At the time of the World Junior Track Cycling Championships in Los Angeles,
Perkins told Cyclingnews after his gold medal ride in the Keirin that he had
been upset about all the negative publicity the sport had received in
Australia following the French affair, but he had handled it well. In fact,
he actually used to train with French, because they had the same coach.
"It just makes me want to try harder," the young sprinter said of the
negative publicity. "But we're the juniors and we're the clean ones coming
through."
It's understood that senior figures in Australian cycling are "absolutely
devastated and bewildered" by the results. The young rider had been under
close supervision during a one-month training camp and was said to be
dedicated to his training and recovery. They will be seeking further
clarification of the tests, samples and procedures, given the somewhat
inconsistent nature of the rider's results, where a sample given after
competition on one day was positive for a banned substance, and then clear
on all on following days.
Overall, Perkins was the sprinter of the meet in Los Angeles, displaying
great speed and track craft. Perkins had to come from behind to win the
keirin but in the sprint (the day where his samples are said to be
negative), he appeared to be stronger, finishing well ahead of American
rider, Michael Blatchford, who took the silver, while Maximilian Levy
(Germany) won bronze and Kévin Sireau (France) was fourth.
Cycling Australia issues new doping infraction
By Gerard Knapp
Only weeks after celebrating its most successful Olympic Games in cycling,
the sport in Australia is set to be plunged into a new crisis with the
revelation that the governing body, Cycling Australia, today issued a new
infraction notice for alleged doping.
Graham Fredericks, the CEO of Cycling Australia, confirmed that an
infraction notice was to be served to a member of the Australian junior
track cycling squad. Although Fredericks refused to confirm or deny the
identity of the rider, Cyclingnews understands the rider is Victorian
sprinter Shane Perkins, 17, who won two gold medals at the World Junior
Track Cycling championships in Los Angeles in July.
It's believed the rider tested positive to a stimulant of a recreational
nature or some sort of flu medication following the keirin event on July 29,
where he won the gold medal. However, sources told Cyclingnews that Perkins'
subsequent samples provided in events after the keirin - such as the sprint,
where he also won gold were clear of any banned substances. Perkins may be
stripped of one or both of his gold medals, depending on the outcome of a
possible hearing - if the athlete successfully appeals - and then a ruling
by the UCI.
If Perkins is to lose his gold medal in the keirin - and it has to be
stressed that the rider has 14 days to appeal the finding, which could be
overturned - this would elevate American teenager, Ryan Nelman, into the
bronze medal, while Daniel Thorsen from Australia would be the new gold
medalist and Francesco Kanda (Italy) would take the silver.
The Victorian rumour mill had been spinning for the past week following the
initial revelation of an A sample returning a positive result. Tests were
then conducted on the B sample that confirmed the original finding, with CA
boss Graham Fredericks then faced with the task of informing the rider.
"The infraction notice is to be mailed today," a disappointed Fredericks
told Cyclingnews. The athlete then has 14 days to accept the decision or
appeal. "There's no doubt he'll seek his day in court," he predicted.
The CEO was also aware of this case had a common thread with Australian
cycling's two previous doping-related offences. In 2003, Victorian track
rider Robert Wilson was suspended for two years for testing positive to EPO,
while earlier this year, teenage sprinter Mark French, also from Victoria,
received a two-year suspension for trafficking.
What went wrong?
At the time of the World Junior Track Cycling Championships in Los Angeles,
Perkins told Cyclingnews after his gold medal ride in the Keirin that he had
been upset about all the negative publicity the sport had received in
Australia following the French affair, but he had handled it well. In fact,
he actually used to train with French, because they had the same coach.
"It just makes me want to try harder," the young sprinter said of the
negative publicity. "But we're the juniors and we're the clean ones coming
through."
It's understood that senior figures in Australian cycling are "absolutely
devastated and bewildered" by the results. The young rider had been under
close supervision during a one-month training camp and was said to be
dedicated to his training and recovery. They will be seeking further
clarification of the tests, samples and procedures, given the somewhat
inconsistent nature of the rider's results, where a sample given after
competition on one day was positive for a banned substance, and then clear
on all on following days.
Overall, Perkins was the sprinter of the meet in Los Angeles, displaying
great speed and track craft. Perkins had to come from behind to win the
keirin but in the sprint (the day where his samples are said to be
negative), he appeared to be stronger, finishing well ahead of American
rider, Michael Blatchford, who took the silver, while Maximilian Levy
(Germany) won bronze and Kévin Sireau (France) was fourth.
