UCI: Contador proceedings must be opened

The International Cycling Union have asked the Spanish cycling federation (RFEC) to open disciplinary proceedings against Alberto Contador.

The Tour de France champion tested positive for clenbuterol on July 21, the second rest day of the 2010 race, and was provisionally suspended by UCI.

But the 27-year-old Spaniard, who also won the Tour de France in 2007 and 2009, has denied any wrongdoing and claimed the positive result was caused by eating contaminated meat.

“At the end of a long and meticulous enquiry entrusted to highly qualified, WADA-accredited experts, and considering all the information currently in its possession, the UCI have concluded that disciplinary proceedings should be opened against Alberto Contador,” a UCI statement read.

“The UCI have today sent their request to the Spanish federation which has competence in this regard.

“It is now the responsibility of this Federation to determine whether Alberto Contador has breached the UCI Anti-Doping Rules.

“In the meantime, until the end of the proceedings and despite his provisional suspension, Alberto Contador still benefits from a presumption of innocence.”

The UCI revealed in September that the amount of clenbuterol detected in Contador’s urine on July 21 was 400 times smaller than the World Anti-Doping Agency are required to detect.

Clenbuterol can be used to reduce body fat and improve aerobic capacity.

If the test failure is upheld Contador could be stripped of his Tour title and given a two-year ban.