Alberto Contador Found Guilty Of Doping, Stripped Of Tour de France Title

Alberto Contador was originally cleared of doping allegations in February 2011 following his win at the 2010 Tour de France, but an appeals court changed that ruling on Monday morning. The new findings mean that runner-up Andy Schleck will be known as the 2010 Tour de France champion.

Contador was banned for two years following the decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, according to a report in the New York Times. Considering Contador quit racing for a time in between the original suspension and last February’s findings that he didn’t cheat, however, the suspension is scheduled to end on Aug. 5, 2012.

According to the Times, the Swiss court’s investigation revealed even more than what was originally being searched for when they began their attempt to re-overturn the original decision.

On the last rest day of the 2010 Tour, Contador tested positive for clenbuterol, a weight-loss and muscle-building drug that some riders illicitly use during the off-season to improve their performance on big climbs in the mountains. Contador said it came from tainted steaks that a friend had delivered from Spain to France.

He also tested positive for a category of chemicals known as plasticizers, which are found in some IV bags used to store blood. While it was not part of the current investigation, the presence of plasticizers suggested that Contador also engaged in blood doping.

This may not be over yet, however, as the Times reports that the International Cycling Union and the World Anti-Doping Agency have both appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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