Cycling: The Chris Froome doping case will probably keep us busy for quite a while. While Romain Bardet urges a quick decision and criticizes those involved, Team Sky, Chris Froome and their lawyers try to wriggle out of it somehow. According to the French daily L'Equipe, the defenders now even want to cite a kidney malfunction to explain the high value.
The clarification will take a lot of time
It's been over a month since we heard about the abnormal urine test results from Chris Froome. This sample was handed in, examined and found to be abnormal more than four months ago. Since then there have been no consequences - neither for Team Sky nor for the rider himself. It is understandable that cycling fans, the media and professionals are dissatisfied with this situation. But it looks like we'll have to be patient for quite a while. Because Chris Froome does not seem to want to admit that the dose is too high. On the contrary: with his lawyers, he and his team Sky are now working hard to get out of the whole thing unpunished.
Cycling is shooting itself in the foot again. annoying. #Froome
— Daniel R. Mueller (@speedvilleblog) 16 January 2018
Froome's kidney is said to have malfunctioned
The UCI has asked Chris Froome to provide an explanation for the prohibited high value. Only then can a decision be made. According to L'Equipe, the Froome defenders are currently working on a strategy that resembles an all-in. The defense attorneys around attorney Mike Morgan would like to explain the high value with a kidney malfunction. The theory is that Chris Froome's kidney was said to have malfunctioned the day before the abnormal test. Instead of excreting the metabolites of salbutamol, they were stored in the body. It was only on the day of the conspicuous test - when the kidneys were said to have suddenly started working again - that everything was excreted in one batch.
So, according to L'Equipe, Froome was struggling with his asthma treatment (which triggered the positive test) because he may have a malfunctioning kidney #sick top athletes https://t.co/eyEn94FGOC
— Johannes Knuth (@johannes_knuth) 16 January 2018
Does Froome go all in with the declaration?
If the claims of L'Equipe are correct, we can assume an exciting process. Because one thing is certain: Unlike Diego Ulissi in 2014, Chris Froome will probably not admit the forbidden high income. The Italian was then banned for just nine months because he confessed. Chris Froome, on the other hand, will go all-in with his defense and aim for an acquittal. If they smash it, the Briton faces a two-year ban. Then he would only come back at an age when it would be difficult for him to perform at his best again - especially with his "severe asthma" and an "not always functioning kidney." But he can certainly hope for an acquittal. After all, his defenders know their way around very well. Lawyer Mike Morgan has represented Alberto Contador, Johan Bruyneel, Lizzie Deignan and Maria Sharapova. But even if Froome were to win the argument, he has long since lost his credit in the cycling scene.
Everyone who complains that they have to have dialysis is a complete wimp. Check out Chris #Froome at. He wins the Tour de France with asthma, intestinal worms, kidney dysfunction and 10 other (still undiscovered) diseases.
— Chocolates (@Bearlinner) 16 January 2018
Lucia says
Make excuses for everything, the others will be blocked immediately, but they're not called froome
Caspar says
Put it very nicely: "...when the kidneys are said to have suddenly started working again..." Can you ask a doctor about this?
doctordonald says
An intermittent renal dysfunction with the above effect does not exist "in the wild". It could be that the protagonists miscalculated the timing of the diuretic onset. After ingestion, there is a flood of urine, often used to dilute the doping metabolites. Due to the resulting dehydration, the urine that follows is highly concentrated, and any metabolite that may be present is excreted in concentrated form.
Nephrologist, specialist in kidney diseases
VeloDavid says
Good article! I'm following what's happening with interest