Festina's Stephens cleared to ride for Australia
Posted: Thursday October 01, 1998 02:24 PM
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For now, Stephens has yet to be punished by Australia Allsport UK/Allsport |
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- Australian Neil Stephens, who was expelled from the Tour de France because of doping suspicions, remains in the clear for the Australian Cycling Federation (ACF).
Stephens was among nine Festina team members who were expelled from the tour after team officials admitted to supplying banned substances to its riders.
Stephens, 34, denied any wrongdoing even though three of his Festina teammates -- Alex Zuelle, Armin Meier and Laurent Dufaux of Switzerland-- admitted using the banned substance erythropoietin (EPO).
The Swiss trio were suspended for eight months and fined 3,000 Swiss francs (US$2,161) by the Swiss Cycling Federation on Wednesday.
ACF president Ray Godkin told reporters Thursday that Stephens remained in the clear for the Australian federation even though the International Cycling Union (UCI) had already banned him from this month's world road racing championships in the Netherlands.
"The Swiss admitted their guilt -- that's the difference," Godkin said.
"We still have nothing, which proves he is guilty of wrongdoing in this matter."
Stephens competed for Australia in the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur last month.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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