Simon Yates is at the centre of a high profile dope test case, with British Cycling - who he hopes will pick him for the Olympics - now blamed for leaking his test result to the media.
Orica-GreenEdge has insisted its British rider Simon Yates has done nothing wrong and has suggested the leak of his adverse dope test result was done by British Cycling.
The team issued a statement on Friday outlining what it says was an administrative error by one of its staff that resulted in the asthma medication Yates takes being flagged as an adverse finding in a dope test at Paris-Nice last month.
It added in the statement it was “concerned” at the leaking of the test result, though there was no mention of the potential source of the leak.
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However, team owner Gerry Ryan was much more forthcoming when he spoke to CyclingTips, which covers world cycling but is based in Australia.
“Three days ago, someone within British Cycling told an Australian friend of mine, that there’s a rider who tested positive,” Ryan told CyclingTips.
“I’m disappointed that Simon hasn’t had the opportunity to put his case forward. I’m disappointed at British Cycling to leak that Simon has tested positive before the case has been heard and there hasn’t been a B-sample.”
News that Yates returned the positive test for Terbutaline broke in the Daily Mail newspaper; the same outlet that has been first with most of the news on the British Cycling sexism and bullying controversy.
It was only after news of the Yates test became public via the media that British Cycling on Friday issued a statement on it, though it did not name Yates – a Team GB Olympic hopeful.
“British Cycling can confirm that it has been notified by the UCI of a potential anti-doping rule violation against a British rider based on an analysis of a sample provided in-competition,” it said.
“As with any other doping violation charge at this level, those proceedings will be managed independently of British Cycling by the UCI.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further until the process has been completed.”
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Yates is currently not banned from competition as the substance he tested positive for does not carry a provisional suspension.
Instead, the team and rider were making their case to the UCI privately and it was only after that process that comment would have been made had the issue not emerged in the media now.
The Orica-GreenEdge statement, below, is very clear on what says happened.
And it insists an error by one of its staff had resulted in the positive test result rather any wrongdoing by Yates, who it said enjoyed the team’s full support.
Orica-GreenEdge statement on Simon Yates
On April 22, the team was notified that Simon Yates has an adverse analytical finding from a test conducted at Paris-Nice, stage 6 on March 12, 2016.
The positive result is for the substance Terbutaline.
The substance was given to Simon Yates in the form an asthma inhaler and accordingly, this was noted by the team doctor on the Doping Control Form, signed at the time of the test.
The substance was given in an ongoing treatment of Simon Yates’ documented asthma problems. However, in this case the team doctor made an administrative error by failing to apply for the TUE required for the use of this treatment.
The use of Terbutaline without a current TUE is the reason it has been flagged as an adverse analytical finding. This is solely based on a human error that the doctor in question has taken full responsibility for.
There has been no wrong-doing on Simon Yates’ part. The team takes full responsibility for this mistake and wishes to underline their support for Simon during this process.
The team is concerned by the leak of this information and has no further comments until there has been a full evaluation made of the documentation, statements and evidence that the team and Simon Yates are now submitting to the UCI in order to clarify everything.
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