Riding for the Katusha team in 2011, former Tour de France rider and Worlds medalist Alexandr Pliuschin has now been suspended by Synergy Baku (Photo: Sirotti)
Headed by Irishman David McQuaid, the Synergy Baku Continental-ranked team has suspended one of its riders over the findings of a dope test.
A statement from the squad, which is registered in Azerbaijan and is backed by the state there, said the rider at the centre of the case was Moldovan Alexandr Pliuschin.
He has returned a "non negative" test result for Salbutamol, which is commonly found in medications used to treat asthma.
Riders can use it when racing once they have a Therapeutic Use Exemption but are limited to a set dose. Anything higer than 1600 micrograms over 24 hours is regarded as abuse.
The controversy is an embarrassing one for Synergy Baku, coming as it does just days after the squad announced it had been accepted into the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC); an anti doping coalition of teams and other entities involved in the sport.
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David McQuaid has been at the helm of Synergy Baku for the past three years, with Pliuschin’s "non negative" result the first real controversy he has had to deal with. The Irishman said no exception could be made for any rider with adverse findings.
However, the test result predates Pliuschin’s time with the team.
The rider returned the result at a race last November but has only been a Synergy Baku rider since January 1st.
Pliuschin was riding for Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling, a Continental team based in the United Arab Emirates, when the issue arose.
The result that has now resulted in his suspension was returned at the Sharjah Tour in Dubai.
The 28-year-old, who has a very impressive palmares and has ridden on some of the biggest teams in the world, won two stages in the four-day race on his way to overall victory.
Synergy Baku said in a statement that Pliuschin had been suspended from the team "in accordance with (our) policies and strong approach to anti-doping at any level”.
It added he would remain suspended until the case was resolved.
Pliuschin on the cobbles of Arenberg on stage 3 of the 2010 Tour de France; with yellow jersey Sylvain Chavanel on his wheel (Photo: Sirotti)
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“The team makes no exception for any rider with an adverse finding. It is our policy and we cannot deviate from it,” said general manager McQuaid.
“In Alexandr's case, it happened during an end of season race last year for another team.
“But the ultimate onus is on the rider himself and Alex is not disputing that it was his and only his mistake.”
“Alex has been suspended from team duties pending due process.
"We, as a member of the MPCC, are handling the situation within the rule framework as set down by the MPCC and remain continually committed to that.”
The team said it had informed the MPCC, as it is required to. It added it had been told that because the test result predated the rider’s time with the squad, Synergy Baku would face no sanction.
Pliuschin on the podium at the Sharjah Tour in Dubai last November. He won two stages, the points classification and the final yellow jersey. But now it has emerged he returned a "non negative" dope test result.
Pliuschin rode for Ag2r-La Mondiale in 2008 and 2009 before moving to Katusha for 2010 and 2011.
There followed a series of one-year contracts; first with the Leopard-Trek Continental team in 2012, followed by IAM Cycling in 2013, Skydive Dubai last year and Synergy Baku most recently.
He has been Moldovan road champion four times; winning his first crown in 2008 before taking three in a row from 2010.
In 2004, aged 17 years, he won a bronze medal in the junior scratch race at the World Track Championships.
The following year he took silver in the junior time trial at the World Road Championships.
In 2007 he won bronze in the men’s road race at the B World Road Championships, for developing nations.
He represented Moldova at the Beijing Olympics and has ridden the elite World Championships several times, most recently last year in Spain where he was 21st in the time trial won by Bradley Wiggins.
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