publish time

15/05/2019

author name Arab Times

publish time

15/05/2019

Richard Carapaz of Ecuador celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 4th stage of the Giro d’Italia, tour of Italy cycling race from Orbetello to Frascati on May 14. (AP)

AIGLE, Switzerland, May 14, (AP): Former Olympic road race champion Samuel Sanchez has accepted a two-year doping ban from cycling.

The International Cycling Union says it reached a deal with the Spanish rider, who presented evidence that his failed drug test in 2017 was the result of taking a contaminated supplement.

The UCI “accepted the likelihood” this was the source of his positive test for the banned substance GHRP-2, which can stimulate the body to produce growth hormone.

The 41-year-old Sanchez has been on provisional suspension since 2017, so his two-year ban will end on Aug 16.

As well as winning the Olympic road race gold medal in 2008, Sanchez won the King of the Mountains title for best climber at the 2011 Tour de France.