Phonak suspend rider

ByReuters

Published 13/03/2006 at 20:07 GMT

Switzerland's Phonak cycling team has suspended rider Sascha Unweider following a positive A-test for high levels of testosterone. According to a statement put out by the team on Monday, the 25-year-old Swiss was tested by his national cycling association

CYCLING 2005 Phonak Urweider

Image credit: Imago

In keeping with UCI guidelines, Phonak said it was suspending Unweider immediately but would wait for the B-test before deciding on further action.

If confirmed by the B-test, the news will be an untimely blow for the Swiss outfit which appeared to have put recent doping problems behind it with Sunday's victory in the Paris-Nice stage race for team leader Floyd Landis.

Unweider was not part of the Paris-Nice team but did take part in last month's one-day race from Milan to Turin.

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Prior to Monday's announcement, Phonak had gone 16 months without a positive confirmed doping test -- in August 2005 Italian rider Fabrizio Guidi failed an A-test for EPO but was cleared by the B-test.

In the four months from August to November 2004, the team was rocked by three positive tests -- leading the International Cycling Union (UCI) to threaten it with expulsion from the newly-formed Pro Tour.

Former team leader Tyler Hamilton was the most well-known cyclist involved and was eventually sacked by the team after tests showed the American had practised blood doping.

His Spanish colleague Santiago Perez tested positive for the same method, while Switzerland's former world champion Oscar Camenzind had earlier been forced to end his career after a positive EPO test.

In September 2005, the team also fired Spanish rider Santos Gonzalez after the two-time national champion returned inconsistent blood levels in internal, team-conducted tests.

The dismissal was seen as evidence of Phonak's new tough stance on medical irregularities -- particularly as Gonzalez had not exceeded permitted UCI levels.

Gonzalez, who now races for Spanish continental side 3 Molinos, continues to maintain his innocence and is currently suing Phonak over his expulsion from the team.

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