THE track cycling world championship started under a cloud for the home team yesterday, when Rob Hayles, a 13-time world and Olympic medallist, failed a blood check, which can indicate the use of the banned blood booster EPO.
British Cycling, which prides itself on running a squeaky clean programme, was quick to clarify that the test is a 'health check' rather than a drugs test, and Hayles' reading indicated an "anomaly" rather than an attempt to cheat. But in Olympic yea
r, and with the championships on home soil, the timing could not have been worse.
Sixty-six riders were tested early yesterday morning by the International Cycling Union (UCI), and two – Pim Ligthart of the Netherlands was the other – were passed unfit. Hayles' blood had a 50.3 per cent concentration of red blood cells – the limit is 50 per cent. He will now be withdrawn from competition for 14 days and permitted to race again if his blood values return to normal.
David Brailsford, the British Cycling performance director, indicated his support for Hayles, and said his priority was to find out why he had failed the test. "We are totally supportive of the (UCI] screening system," said Brailsford. "Considering the thousands of tests performed on our large squad by now, it is not unusual to get one or two such anomalies. This morning's screening has shown an anomaly that warrants further investigation and we are working with the UCI to resolve this matter."
As well as representing a devastating blow for Hayles, who, at 35, is nearing the end of his career and needed a good world championship to earn selection for Beijing, the news of his exclusion came as a blow to the rest of the British team, which includes Scots Chris Hoy and Ross Edgar.
Hayles has been a mainstay of the British team for more than a decade, featuring in a number of medal-winning team pursuit squads. He also partnered Bradley Wiggins to a bronze medal in the Madison at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
"I am disappointed and frustrated to have to wait for further tests over the next two weeks before I can compete again," said Hayles. "I accept the process is in place for good reason and I agree with it. These anomalies have happened to others across the world, and after two weeks they have been resolved. So I just have to wait for two weeks."
The full article contains 415 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
