Yahoo Finance British Cyclist Fails Drugs Test In Competition
A British cyclist has failed a drugs test during a competition, the sport's governing body has confirmed.
Simon Yates tested positive for Terbutaline on 12 March while racing from Paris to Nice - and according to his team, the substance was being used to treat "documented asthma problems".
In a statement, Orica-GreenEdge explained a team doctor had made an "administrative error" by failing to apply for the Therapeutic Use Exemption required for professional cyclists who need medication.
"There has been no wrongdoing on Simon Yates' part," a spokesperson added.
"The team takes full responsibility for this mistake and wishes to underline their support for Simon during this process."
Mr Yates, from Bury in Greater Manchester, joined the Australian group in 2014.
The 23-year-old has been described as one of Britain's brightest prospects, and was tipped to be part of TeamGB's road race squad at the Rio Olympics later this year.
His potential anti-doping violation will be investigated by the International Cycling Union.
In a statement, British Cycling added: "It would be inappropriate to comment further until the process has been completed."
UK Anti-Doping has refused to discuss or disclose details of the case until the legal process has been completed, and an anti-doping rule violation is deemed to have been committed.
This is the latest controversy to rock British Cycling in days.
The organisation recently suspended its technical director, Shane Sutton, while allegations he made sexist and discriminatory remarks are investigated.
It has also been claimed that the head of British Cycling, Ian Drake, was aware of the allegations against Sutton but failed to act.
Meanwhile, the embattled governing body has also denied that high-performance bikes and skinsuits provided by UK Sport have been sold on for profit - with some pieces of equipment costing around £10,000 each.
Upon hearing about the doping allegation, Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy tweeted: "And just when you thought the week couldn't get any more depressing."
