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Belgians fear losing world championships over Capelle decision
The Belgian Cycling Federation said Tuesday that it feared losing the rights to hold two world championships after a high court suspended a doping ruling against former champion Ludovic Capelle.
The Belgian Council of State on Monday suspended an 18-month doping sentence against the 2001 Belgian champion on procedural grounds, allowing the cyclist to race again.
''We do everything possible to keep the sport clean and then we see a decision like this,'' federation chairman Laurent De Backer told VRT television.
He said the UCI might consider taking next year's world junior championships and the 2007 cyclo-cross championships away from Belgium.
''If the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency say that the rules in Belgium are insufficient, then they will have to move,'' De Backer said.
The ruling by the Council of State is only provisional. A full decision is set for early next year.
