Cyclist from France, previously professional, receives a four-year ban due to an unexplained anomaly in their Biological Passport.
Franck Bonnamour Receives Four-Year Ban from UCI's Anti-Doping Tribunal
Franck Bonnamour, a former French professional cyclist, has been handed a four-year ban by the Union Cycliste Internationale's (UCI) Anti-Doping Tribunal. The ban, which is backdated to 5th February 2024 and will end on 4th February 2028, comes as a result of an "unexplained abnormality" in Bonnamour's biological passport in 2022.
In the wake of the ban, Bonnamour has maintained his innocence regarding blood manipulation and doping products. He expressed his concerns about the potential financial loss if his case went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). However, in 2024, he announced that he was stopping his legal defense due to financial constraints.
Throughout his career, Bonnamour claimed to have always complied with anti-doping controls. He stated that he had never used prohibited products or any blood manipulation. Despite this, the UCI's Anti-Doping Tribunal found evidence to the contrary, leading to the ban.
Bonnamour's legal team was assisted by scientists in his defense. However, he did not provide any new information about the "unexplained abnormality" in his biological passport. The cost of continuing his legal proceedings became too high, leading to his decision to stop.
Before riding for B&B Hotels-KTM, Bonnamour was part of Arkéa Samsic's squad. In 2022, he rode for B&B Hotels-KTM and won one race, the minor French event La Polynormande. He also took part in the Tour de France that year.
All WorldTour and ProTour riders have a biological passport, an electronic record of their doping tests. The biological passport was introduced in 2008 and is run by the International Testing Agency (ITA).
Bonnamour believed that he was an honest, upright, and clean rider. He expressed his disappointment at the situation and stated that the UCI tribunal proceedings would have delayed the case and increased costs significantly. He was previously dismissed by his team, Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, and was suspended from February 2024.
Bonnamour maintained his innocence on social media, expressing his dismay at the situation and his belief in the justice system. He has not made any further public statements since announcing his decision to stop his legal defense.
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