Irish cyclist banned for four years for doping offence

The book has been thrown at the Dubliner.

A day after the completion of the Tour De France and it's been revealed that after an investigation by Cycling Ireland and the Irish Sports Council, a four year ban has been imposed on Ciaran Kelly. The rider, who previously was associated with the Sean Kelly Cycling Academy  in Belgium, but is now an amateur rider only, has been banned for four years after a urine sample provided in an in-competition test in April of last year came back positive for a prohibited substance, Clenbuterol. The ban for that offence is normally two years, but in a somewhat unusual move the Irish Sports Council have doubled the ban, explaining their decision in a statement on their website this evening

"Aggravating circumstances are present in this case which justify the imposition of a period of ineligibility greater than the standard sanction of 2 years, and that the period of ineligibility otherwise applicable should be increased up to the maximum period of 4 years."

The ISC also go on to state that Kelly failed to adhere by initial sanctions imposed on him after the positive test, and because of this he has been given no reduction in his ban, having competed in an event in March of this year,

"Mr. Kelly failed to respect the provisional suspension imposed by Cycling Ireland, and have decided that he should not receive any credit for the period of provisional suspension against the four year period of ineligibility which is now imposed".

Kelly was previously a professional cyclist but was tested after an amateur event in Wexford in April of last year. He claimed in his hearing that his positive test was committed after he consumed contaminated meat from his local butcher and he had not knowingly taken any banned substance. However the ISC and Cycling Ireland disagreed and the cyclist now has 21 days to appeal the decision. H/T  Irish Sports Council