Chris Froome's medical team is looking at the theory that his kidneys stored metabolites of Salbutamol for days and then secreted it all at once, causing his adverse dope test result.
French newspaper L’Équipe has reported that Chris Froome’s medical team is exploring a possible kidney malfunction as the reason for his adverse test result for Salbutamol during the Vuelta.
A report in the newspaper has said Froome’s reading for asthma inhaler drug Salbutamol was low the day before and after his stage 18 adverse result.
And now the medical team working to explain to the UCI why Froome’s reading was twice the recommended limit on stage believe his kidneys may have secreted Salbutamol irregularly.
Instead of his body processing the substance and secreting its metabolites evenly each day, the kidneys may have stored the secretion for a day and then excreted a very high amount after stage 18.
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This theory, the respected French media outlet says, is being explored as a means of offering a credible explanation to the UCI for why his levels were so high, and thus avoid a racing ban for Froome.
L’Équipe also reports the suggestion Froome was so dehydrated it may have resulted in Salbutamol being overly represented in his urine has been discounted.
Medical experts and other staff are working to recreate the conditions that would result in a repeat of Froome giving a sample with the same Salbutamol. If they could repeat the urine sample and test result, they could explain how it came about.
However, L’Équipe has said the conditions to prove dehydration had caused the adverse dope test result could not be recreated by the medical experts working for Froome and so that has been abandoned.
The storing up of Salbutamol metabolites and excretion of two days worth all in one go is now the avenue being explored, according to the French report.
Some riders who have admitted they had too much Salbutamol in their systems and accepted a sanction have been banned for nine months.
However, those who do not accept guilt yet cannot explain why their Salbutamol levels were over the legal limit are more likely to face a full two-year ban.
It means the strategy being pursued by Froome is high risk and could result in a longer ban.
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