Vino goes on the attack
Jul. 28th, 2007 04:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redfiona99He's attacking the science behind his positive test.
Article from BBC.co.uk
Alexandre Vinokourov is to challenge the positive test for blood doping that led to the pre-race favourite being thrown out of the Tour de France.
Vinokourov, who failed the test after last Saturday's time trial, believes the testing system - being used for the first time in the Tour - is unreliable.
"These test results simply make no sense," he said in a statement.
"You would have to be crazy to do what I have been accused of, and I am not crazy," the Kazakh rider added. It must be said that's why I don't think he did it. He could have done the same thing with his own blood and not have it been spotted, and I really don't think he's that stupid.
Vinokourov's solicitor Maurice Suh also defended last year's Tour winner Floyd Landis, who is currently awaiting a ruling on whether he should be stripped of his victory.
Landis tested positive for excessive testosterone levels during last year's race but the results were not made public until after the Tour had finished.
Blood doping, which Vinokourov is accused of, involves adding extra red blood cells, either by removing and then re-injecting an individual's own blood or by adding someone else's.
Vinokourov and his solicitor have taken issue with the "flow cytometry test" used by the Laboratoire National de Depistage et Dopage.
"As of now, the public has only heard one side in these test results," said Suh.
"We encourage everyone to keep an open mind about the test results and not to assume that the LNDD has done everything correctly or has achieved accurate results.
"Taking away a victory from an athlete improperly is just as much of a tragedy as an athlete cheating - both take away victory from the true winner."
Vinokourov, a 10-year veteran, stated: "I have always raced clean.
"Never before this year's Tour de France have I ever been accused of violating any doping law.
"I have been tested at least 100 times during my career. These test results simply make no sense."
Article from BBC.co.uk
Alexandre Vinokourov is to challenge the positive test for blood doping that led to the pre-race favourite being thrown out of the Tour de France.
Vinokourov, who failed the test after last Saturday's time trial, believes the testing system - being used for the first time in the Tour - is unreliable.
"These test results simply make no sense," he said in a statement.
"You would have to be crazy to do what I have been accused of, and I am not crazy," the Kazakh rider added. It must be said that's why I don't think he did it. He could have done the same thing with his own blood and not have it been spotted, and I really don't think he's that stupid.
Vinokourov's solicitor Maurice Suh also defended last year's Tour winner Floyd Landis, who is currently awaiting a ruling on whether he should be stripped of his victory.
Landis tested positive for excessive testosterone levels during last year's race but the results were not made public until after the Tour had finished.
Blood doping, which Vinokourov is accused of, involves adding extra red blood cells, either by removing and then re-injecting an individual's own blood or by adding someone else's.
Vinokourov and his solicitor have taken issue with the "flow cytometry test" used by the Laboratoire National de Depistage et Dopage.
"As of now, the public has only heard one side in these test results," said Suh.
"We encourage everyone to keep an open mind about the test results and not to assume that the LNDD has done everything correctly or has achieved accurate results.
"Taking away a victory from an athlete improperly is just as much of a tragedy as an athlete cheating - both take away victory from the true winner."
Vinokourov, a 10-year veteran, stated: "I have always raced clean.
"Never before this year's Tour de France have I ever been accused of violating any doping law.
"I have been tested at least 100 times during my career. These test results simply make no sense."
