Robert Stannard has signed for Bahrain Victorious with speedy impact after accepting a backdated four-year suspension for an anti-doping rule violation, it was introduced this week.
The Australian will trip the Tour of Britain for his new staff, after he was penalised by the UCI’s Anti-Doping Tribunal to be used of a prohibited substance or a prohibited methodology, on account of unexplained abnormalities in his Organic Passport in 2018 and 2019. In addition to the four-year suspension, he was fined 70% of his common annual wage within the years 2018 and 2019.
The Athlete Organic Passport (ABP) is a person digital report for every rider, during which the outcomes of all doping checks are collected.
Stannard final rode for Alpecin-Deceuninck ultimately yr’s Tour de Wallonie, having spent all of 2022 with the Belgian staff, earlier than he was provisionally suspended. The 25-year-old additionally rode for what was then Mitchelton-Scott between 2018 and 2021, years that he was now formally suspended for.
“It is superior to have the ability to trip my bike once more, to have the ability to proceed my biking profession,” Stannard mentioned in a Bahrain Victorious press launch, despatched out on Tuesday night.
“I needed to make a tough alternative: settle for the ruling and have the ability to do the game I really like once more, or struggle to clear my title. I consider I’ve made the wisest alternative. I hope to have the ability to do each in the long term, however for now, I’m seizing with each arms the chance to race once more.
“I really feel like I’ve received my life again, in a approach. I can not wait to return to racing, and I am so grateful to have been given this chance by Bahrain.”
“Athletes with ABP violations haven’t returned constructive blood or urine checks for something,” Stannard continued.
“They alleged that it may solely have been attributable to ‘unlawful means’, however all through your complete course of, supplied no proof of any wrongdoing. No proof of doping is collected or required for them to succeed in this judgment.
“I hope the Tribunal ruling will probably be revealed sooner or later, after which folks will have the ability to learn the small print and make up their very own minds. However it’s actually modified my perspective on issues, on biking, and life as an entire.”
Vladimir Miholjevič, Bahrain Victorious’ efficiency supervisor, mentioned that the squad couldn’t show that doping had occurred.
“We’re blissful to have Robert becoming a member of us. Robert went by way of a troublesome interval, with a variety of confusion, however we assist him, and thru our medical groups’ evaluation we couldn’t conclude any wrongdoing,” Miholjevič mentioned.
“He has been cleared to race within the skilled peloton once more, and is a proficient rider who we predict has nice potential.”
