Orica GreenEDGE young gun Simon Yates tests positive to banned substance terbutaline
AUSTRALIAN professional cycling team Orica-GreenEDGE has taken responsibility for a positive drug test by one of its best young riders.
Cycling
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AUSTRALIAN professional cycling team Orica-GreenEDGE has taken responsibility for a positive drug test by one of its best young riders, Simon Yates.
Yates was found to have the banned substance terbutaline in his system during stage six of the Paris-Nice race in France on March 12.
Yates, 23, whose twin brother Adam also rides for the team, is English and regarded as a future contender for the major tours.
GreenEDGE manager Shayne Bannan said Yates has documented asthma problems and the substance was given to him in the form of an inhaler.
“Accordingly this was noted by the team doctor on the doping control form, signed at the time of the test,” Bannan’s statement read.
“However in this case the team doctor made an administrative error by failing to apply for the Therapeutic Use Exemption 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 human error that the doctor in question has taken full responsibility for.
“There has been no wrongdoing on Simon Yates’ part. The team takes full responsibility for this mistake and wishes to underline its 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 to clarify everything.”
British Cycling confirmed it had been notified of a “potential” violation and said it would be managed by the UCI, the sport’s governing body.
Yates, who turned professional in 2014, took part in the Tour de France during his debut season and picked up a number of promising stage results.
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