Former Trek-Segafredo rider appears in court for milestone doping ban appeal

The 35-year-old is appealing a four-year ban for EPO use

(Image credit: Corbis via Getty Images)

A former Trek-Segafredo rider has appeared in court for a milestone doping ban appeal.

Portuguese rider André Cardoso is publicly challenging his four-year suspension for EPO use at the Court of Arbitration (CAS) for sport in Switzerland, NBC Sports reports. 

Open court hearings, where press and observers are free to are attend, are rare for the CAS and Cardoso is believed to be the first cyclist to opt for a public appeal.

The CAS reformed its rules to allow more scrutiny in 2018, with Chinese swimmer Sun Yang becoming the first open-door case after the change. Yang denies any wrongdoing.

The 35-year-old is appealing a ban imposed by the UCI after he tested positive for EPO on the eve of the 2017 Tour de France, where he was due to support Alberto Contador’s general classification ambitions.

Carodoso tested positive for the banned blood booster in an out-of-competition test on June 18, 2017, and was provisionally suspended the day before the Tour.

Then in November 2018, the UCI announced that Cardoso would be banned for four years.

In a lengthy Facebook post, he vowed to appeal the ban saying: “I’m doing my best to control my anger, but I’m totally disappointed with the confirmation.

“The fact that I know that this has caused grief to my family, friends and teammates makes the situation even worse, because I feel responsible for their anguish, even though I have done nothing wrong.”

According to reports, the appeal has been complicated as the backup sample Cardoso provided to anti-doping testers did not match the original sample that tested positive.

Cardoso’s lawyer, Yasin Patel, said: “He is effectively having to disprove something that they [the UCI] can’t prove.

“Uncertainty has to benefit the athlete and not the governing body.”

An expert witness for the UCI claimed the positive test was “crystal clear.”

>>> Irish cyclist confirmed dead after he went missing while riding in Thailand 

Cardoso, who began his career in 2006, rode for Garmin-Sharp and Cannondale team at WorldTour level between 2014 and 2016, before moving to Trek at the start of the 2017 season.

He won one race in his career before the ban, stage 10 of the Volta a Portugal in 2011, where he finished second overall.

Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.