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Wednesday's EuroFile: Hamilton; Frigo; Sutherland and Capelle

By VeloNews Interactive, with wire services
Published: Oct. 5, 2005

Geneva, Switzerland (AP) - The Court of Arbitration for Sport hopesto reach a decision on Tyler Hamilton's appeal by the end of the year orthe beginning of 2006.A first hearing was held in Denver on September 6-8 but, because notall the evidence could be presented at the time, it was decided arbitrationwould resume at a later date."We still need to co-ordinate the date of the second hearing with allthe parties involved, the witnesses, the members of the tribunal, the experts,etc., which can be difficult," CAS secretary general Matthieu Reeb toldThe Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday. "But we are hopingall can be concluded at the end of this year or the beginning of next year."Hamilton asked CAS to overturn an April 18 decision by the independentAmerican Arbitration Association to suspend him for a blood doping violation.Hamilton has consistently denied any doping violation and has criticizedthe testing method used by UCI, cycling's international governing body.He nnounced in April that he would appeal to CAS.It was the first case based on a test designed to detect the presenceof someone else's red blood cells. A blood transfusion can increase enduranceby providing extra oxygen-carrying red blood cells.Hamilton tested positive on September 11, 2004, after winning an individualtime trial at the Vuelta a Espana, a month after he won the time trialgold medal at the Athens Olympics.His initial blood sample in Athens also tested positive, but that casewas dropped because his backup specimen - or B sample - was frozen andcould not be analyzed.Hamilton was fired by the Swiss-based Phonak team in November. If heloses the appeal, he wouldn't be eligible to return to competition untilApril 2007 and wouldn't be able to race on a ProTour team until 2009.Frigo may face jail time
San Remo, Italy (AFP) - Prosecutors here Wednesday have requesteda six-month prison sentence against Italian cyclist Dario Frigo duringthe final hearing relating to alleged doping during the 2001 Giro d'Italia.The former Paris-Nice and Romandy Tour winner was forced to pull outof the 2001 Giro when he was lying second after Italian police found drugsin his
hotel room following the San Remo stage.Prosecutor Giovanni Maddaleni on Wednesday also demanded that the 32-year-oldcyclist be fined 4,000 euros (4,781 dollars).Maddaleni also requested that riders Giuseppe Di Grande and AlbertoElli be sentenced to four months in jail and fined 3,000 euros each, afurther two
months and 2,000 euros each against Daniele De Paoli, Giuliano De HaroFigueras, Giampaolo Mondini, Pavel Padrnos and Stefano Zanini.All the riders are accused of using banned substances found after policeand drug squad officiers raided the hotel rooms of all competing teamsfollowing the San Remo stage of the 2001 Giro.The verdict is expected on October 27.
Agence France PresseCapelle gets 18-month ban for doping
Brussels, Belgium (AFP) - Belgian rider Ludovic Capelle wasWednesday banned for 18 months after testing positive for the illegal bloodbooster EPO (erythropoeitin) during a race in June, Belgian televisionsaid.The 29-year-old, who was suspended by his team after a positive samplefollowing a race at Gullegem in northern Belgium confirmed the presenceof a banned substance, will not be able to take to the saddle from October26, 2005 to April 25, 2007.

Neither Capelle nor his lawyer were present during Wednesday's hearing before the disciplinary commission of the regional sports ministry for the Flemish-speaking community. But the rider protested his innocence and has vowed to appeal. "I've never taken EPO," Capelle told Belgian news agency Belga."Obviously I will appeal because I'm innocent," Capelle declared.
Agence France PresseRabobank fires Sutherland for (what else?) doping
The Hague, Netherlands (AFP) - The Dutch cycling team Rabobankon Wednesday fired Australian cyclist Rory Sutherland after doping testscame back positive, the ANP news agency reported here.Sutherland, 23, tested positive for an illegal substance in August during the Tour of Germany, and had been suspended by the team three weeks ago.After a 'B' sample also came back positive Wednesday Rabobank told Sutherland to pack his bags. The cycling team would not say what substance was found during the examination.
Agence France Presse