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Doping cloud descends on Le Tour
T-Mobile's Patrik Sinkewitz returns a positive A sample for testosterone.
Last Modified: 18 Jul 2007 12:57 GMT

Patrik Sinkewitz: Suspended by  Team T-Mobile [GALLO/GETTY]

T-Mobile rider Patrik Sinkewitz has become the first cyclist to fail a dope test at this year's Tour de France after he tested positive for high levels of testosterone, prompting two main German television stations to drop their coverage of the race.

The pre-Tour test on Sinkewitz was carried out June 8 with the A sample coming back positive.

Sinkewitz has been provisionally suspended by his team, T-Mobile spokesman Stefan Wagner said.
 
TV stations ZDF and ARD, two public channels which have been broadcasting the Tour, said they were dropping their coverage "until further notice."

Sinkewitz has five days to decide whether to request a B sample test.

If that also comes back positive, he faces a possible ban.

"It's not possible. I know nothing about it," Sinkewitz said from a Hamburg clinic.

"I am about to have surgery. I can't deal with it now."

Sinkewitz competed in the Tour, but dropped out after crashing into a spectator Sunday.

T-Mobile company spokesman Christian Frommert would not rule out that the telecommunications giant could decide to stop sponsoring the team.

"We'll sit down after the Tour and calmly analyse the situation,'' he said.

"I wouldn't rule anything out.''


 

Source:
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