No more heroes

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 10, 2008:

Former world champion and Tom Boonen has tested positive for cocaine, Belgian judicial authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The Paris-Roubaix winner returned the positive in an out-of-competition control carried out by the ministry of the Flemish Community, on May 26, three days before the start of the Tour of Belgium.

"A suspension is foreseen when controls took place during competition, but it's not the case in this affair," said Sonck.

And the International Cycling Union (UCI) confirmed that Boonen would not be facing any sanctions under their rules.

"The UCI will not be requesting that a disciplinary procedure be opened," a UCI spokesman told AFP. "We have not been informed of this result but if the information is confirmed as it is an out-of-competition control UCI rules like those of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) do not have any sanctions for cocaine."

According to reports, Boonen, a contender for the top sprinter's green jersey in the 2008 Tour de France, is currently in the process of negotiating a transfer to French team Bouygues Telecom.

bicycling

"out-of-competition control" so it doesn't count.. that's ok then.


TOM's comment: ....I'm very sad and extremely disappointed in my national hero. Removed the official website from my favorite cycling links.....


another viewpoint from trust but verify..

"If Boonen's OOC test were being done under UCI and WADA prototols, and the finding is not of a type that can produce any disciplinary action, why have we heard about it at all? Who blew the confidentiality of this non-actionable result, before any B sample test could have been requested or performed?

Another car in the train wreck."