Are you sure?

That’s what he said when we’re out on the mountain bikes last night…

Can see why they don’t want him at the tour, but I think it would be wrong from a technical view if he was banned since it is only due to a leak we know about the AAF, under standard conditions we wouldnt be any the wiser. Morally is another question…

The Tour would have to also ban/ uninvite any other cyslists in a similar situation, or who came into a similar situaiton.  I have no idea how likely it is that would affect other competitors.

The Tour would have to also ban/ uninvite any other cyslists in a similar situation, or who came into a similar situaiton.  I have no idea how likely it is that would affect other competitors.

Except that none of this is supposed to be public, it’s only out there because it was leaked. Presumably confidentiality means that race organisers wouldn’t actually know if other riders were in the same situation, so presumably they couldn’t exclude them unless they were pro-actively informed by the UCI, in which case the test results clearly wouldn’t be confidential. A right mess.

The Tour would have to also ban/ uninvite any other cyslists in a similar situation, or who came into a similar situation.

ASO can invite who they like, can’t they? As far as I know they are not dictated to by any other organisation. From their POV, why would they allow someone to ride, and likely win, only to be banned and make yet another TdF look like a farce?

Not a legal issue, they have their PR to consider.  Imagine they keep Froome out, then after the Tour it emerges that another competitor was also in that position.  And then Froome wins his appeal but the other competitor loses theirs.  It needs to be dressed up as though it is playing fair by everyone.

ASO can ask all competitors to declare pending investigations (in confidence of course) to them.  And not invite them/their team if they don’t.  If they are free to do what they want, they can do that.  If they are not in fact free to do what they want and have to abide by considerations of sporting fairness etc., then the problem fades away and they allow Sky to enter with Froome.

I believe World Tour teams (including Sky) have guaranteed entry to the TdF and obviously can pick their own squads.

Hence why ASO are considering the “bringing the race into disrepute” line.

From listening to the Cycling Podcast I was under the impression that any ban could actually be served after the judgement, rather than being backdated. But this doesn’t seem to be the basis the situation is being discussed under.