Vinokourov Eligible to Compete Again on July 24th
In a press release issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) just a short while ago, the CAS announced their preliminary ruling in the International Cycling Union’s (UCI’s) case against Alexander Vinokourov and the Kazakh Cycling Federation (KCF). In the ruling, the CAS set aside the KCF’s previous decision regarding Vinokourov’s positive doping result from the 2007 Tour de France. In that decision, Vinokourov was banned from competition for a year. He subsequently retired from the sport.
With today’s decision, the CAS ruled that under the UCI’s rules for anti-doping violations, Vinokourov should be banned from competition for a period of two years, beginning on July 24, 2007. As a result, the Kazakh rider will be eligible to compete as a professional cyclist again in just over a month, on July 24, 2009. While Vinokourov will not be able to race in the 2009 Tour de France, he would be eligible to race at the Vuelta a Espana in September.
Vinokourov has, in the recent past, expressed the desire to return to competition. Vinokourov’s return to professional cycling will depend on whether he can find a team that will employ him.
