Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador believes that tainted meat caused him to test positive for trace amounts of the performance-enhancing drug clenbuterol. The three-time Tour de France champion tested positive for a small concentration of clenbuterol in a urine test administered by cycling officials on July 21 during the Tour de France. According to ESPN, Contador’s story could be plausible because farmers seeking to boost lean meat production sometimes illegally administer clenbuterol.
Clenbuterol is an anabolic agent responsible for burning fat and increasing muscle. It is legal only in Europe for animals not intended for human consumption. However, ESPN reports over a hundred cases of clenbuterol tainted meat in Spain during the 1990’s. Those contaminated suffered “increased heart rate, muscle tremors, nausea, headaches and anxiety.” With accidental contamination as a possibility, further explanations are expected from Contador as well as the International Cycling Union (UCI), who administered the tests.
However, Contador’s positive test comes at a time when Spanish cycling has received a lot of negative publicity for doping. According to Reuter’s, Contador is one of twenty Spanish cyclists to test positive for doping the past 18 months. Cycling now threatens major damage to Spain’s reputation for excellence in international athletics. In 2010, Spain dominated the World Cup and saw its countryman Rafael Nadal earn the world’s top ranking in tennis.
While there is still much controversy surrounding the Contador case, there is nevertheless pressure on Spanish officials to refocus their efforts on cycling. The prominent Spanish daily, Marca, has characterized doping as a “curse,”, and La Razon claims, “Cycling is shaming us” (Reuters.)
Recently, Spain has acquired a reputation for being tough on steroids, but cycling continues to blight its record. Outside of Spain, UCI has been plagued with doping cases and, most recently, shocking allegations from deposed Tour de France champ Floyd Landis. With all the doping problems cycling is facing lately, it seems one thing is clear: reform is needed on both the national and international level.
