Contador wait continues

The Alberto Contador saga is set to stretch into a third calendar year after the Court of Arbitration for Sport today confirmed the sport of cycling will likely have to wait until 2012 for a final ruling into the Spaniard’s positive doping test.

Tomorrow a closed hearing in Lausanne will hear closing submissions for triple Tour de France champion Contador and the Spanish Cycling Federation in their dispute against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Cycling Union (WADA).

A statement from CAS read: “The CAS decision in this matter is not expected before the end of 2011.”

The news prolongs an already lengthy saga following Spaniard Contador’s positive test for clenbuterol on the second rest day of the 2010 Tour, which he went on to win.

The 28-year-old contests the adverse finding was a result of contaminated meat.

The positive result was revealed in September 2010 and the Spanish Cycling Federation initially proposed giving the Saxo Bank-SunGard rider a one-year ban before subsequently acquitting him.

The UCI and WADA both appealed that decision to CAS, who have already twice postponed proceedings.

The case had been due to be heard prior to July’s Tour before it was postponed until August and then delayed for a second time until this week.

Prior to the 2011 Tour, Contador had won six straight Grand Tours entered – the Tour in 2007, 2009 and 2010, the Giro d’Italia in 2008 and 2011 and the Vuelta a Espana in 2008.

Should CAS rule against him, Contador would lose his 2010 Tour title and the 2011 Giro crown.