Chris Froome’s lawyers to argue his kidneys malfunctioned in salbutamol defense
Scientific experts preparing to argue four-time Tour de France winner's kidneys weren't working properly during the Vuelta
Chris Froome’s path to innocence following September’s adverse analytical finding for salbutamol at the Vuelta a España will hinge on whether he can demonstrate that his kidney’s malfunctioned according to L’Équipe. The legal and scientific experts assembled by Team Sky and Froome to mount his defense are building their case around the possible malfunctioning of the four-time Tour de France winners kidneys according to the report.
The defense are tasked with explaining how it’s possible Froome tested for twice the permitted level of salbutamol in his system after Stage 18 of the Vuelta. The asthma medication is permitted in certain dosages in competition but the test suggested that limited had been exceeded. If the defense is not accepted, Froome could face a suspension as long as two years.
The report goes on to say that the defense team which is led by lawyer Mike Morgan who has represented Alberto Contador, Lizzie Deignan, tennis star Maria Sharapova along with other high profile athletes in similar cases, have already passed on using other defense strategies. It had previously been suggested that dehydration could have led to the high concentration of salbutamol. The legal team also decided not to pursue pharmacokinetic tests because the difficulties presented in recreating the same conditions as during the Vuelta.
L’Équipe reports that on the days before and after the spike that triggered the adverse analytical test show the level of salbutamol were very low. The report goes on to say that the defense will argue Froome’s kidneys malfunctioned and accumulated the metabolites of salbutamol instead of excreting them over a normal period of time. When his system started working again, his kidneys excreted high levels of salbutamol leading to the elevated test results.
Once the defense has been prepared it will be passed on to the UCI Legal Anti-Doping Services (LADS) who will review it. A kidney specialist has reportedly been brought on by the UCI anticipating Froome’s defense team’s approach to explaining the adverse analytical finding.
If the defense is accepted by LADS, the UCI would then confirm Froome’s Vuelta title but WADA and the UK Anti-Doping Agency could appeal the decision. If Froome’s defense is not acceptable they will impose a sanction which Froome could appeal with a UCI anti-doping tribunal which would then go all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Floyd Landis who won the Tour de France in 2006 before having the result stripped when he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs commented that nobody would believe Froome’s defense. “Salbutamol can increase performance if used orally or intramuscularly,” Landis told L’Équipe. “It is very difficult to reach the levels achieved by Chris Froome simply by using an inhaler. If that’s his excuse, it’s whatever and nobody will believe it.”
Froome is scheduled to ride the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in 2018. He’s currently training in South Africa preparing for the season.
Romain Bardet has called on Froome not be permitted to race until the investigation is over.
“I have a hard time imagining that a rider with such a high dose of Salbutamol can be cleared. Otherwise, why set a limit?” Bardet said adding that the UCI needs to reach a decision before the Tour de France. “Otherwise, it would be catastrophic for the image of the race and the image of cycling. It would be a farce.”
