The Tour de France organisers refuse to let Chris Froome race in this year’s event because his salbutamol case has not been resolved.
According to Le Monde, ASO has blocked Team Sky’s registration of Froome, apointing to article 29 of its own rules which states it “reserves the right to refuse the participation in – or disqualify from – the event, a team or one of its members whose presence is liable to damage the image or reputation of ASO or those of the event”.
Team Sky has already appealed the decision to the French national Olympic Committee (CNOSF), with a hearing set for 9AM on Tuesday and a decision expected on Wednesday.
The four-times Tour champion returned an adverse finding for the asthma drug salbutamol during his winning ride at the Vuelta a Espana last year. He denies any wrongdoing and is continuing to race this season, while his team of lawyers and scientists work on an explanation for the adverse sample, which contained twice the allowed concentration of the drug.
“We are confident that Chris will be riding the Tour as we know he has done nothing wrong”, Team Sky told Le Monde.
