British cyclist Simon Yates has not been suspended as his Orica-GreenEdge team bid to clear up a doctor's error which led to a positive drugs test.
The Australian team have accepted responsibility for Yates’ positive test for terbutaline, which is used to relieve asthma symptoms.
Orica-GreenEdge admitted an administrative error led to the medicine being administered without the required therapeutic use exemption certificate.
The UCI on Friday morning said Yates, currently out with a knee injury sustained at the Tour of the Basque Country earlier this month, has not been provisionally suspended due to the nature of the substance involved.
A statement from the world governing body read: “The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) confirms that British rider Simon Yates has been notified of an adverse analytical finding of terbutaline in a sample collected in the scope of an in-competition control on March 12th, 2016.
“As per the UCI’s anti-doping rules, such substance does not entail the imposition of a provisional suspension.
“The rider has the right to request and attend the analysis of the B sample.
“At this stage of the procedure, the UCI won’t comment any further.”
Orica-GreenEdge say they are attempting to clarify the situation with the UCI.
A statement from Orica-GreenEdge read: “There has been no wrong-doing on Simon Yates’ part.
“The team takes full responsibility for this mistake and wishes to underline their support for Simon during this process.”
The team were made aware of the positive test on April 22nd, following a test conducted on March 12, at stage six of Paris-Nice. He finished sixth on the stage.
The statement added: “The substance was given to Simon Yates in the form an asthma inhaler and accordingly, this was noted by the team doctor on the doping control form, signed at the time of the test.
“The substance was given in an ongoing treatment of Simon Yates’ documented asthma problems. However, in this case the team doctor made an administrative error by failing to apply for the TUE required for the use of this treatment.
“The use of terbutaline without a current TUE is the reason it has been flagged as an adverse analytical finding.
“This is solely based on a human error that the doctor in question has taken full responsibility for.”
The 23-year-old from Bury, who won gold in the points race at the 2013 Track World Championships in Minsk, is among Britain’s brightest prospects.
He made his Tour de France debut in 2014 and raced again in 2015, after opting to sign for Australian squad Orica-GreenEdge ahead of Team Sky.
Yates is the older twin and his brother Adam also races for Orica-GreenEdge and Britain. They are not related to former rider Sean Yates.
Simon Yates finished 2015 as the best young rider in the Criterium du Dauphine and Tour of the Basque Country. He also finished eighth on stage three of the Tour de France, which finished atop the Mur de Huy in Belgium.
A strong climber, he is a contender to ride in the Rio Olympics road race.
“The team is concerned by the leak of this information and has no further comments until there has been a full evaluation made of the documentation, statements and evidence that the team and Simon Yates are now submitting to the UCI in order to clarify everything,” the Orica-GreenEdge statement added.
British Cycling, the sport’s embattled national governing body, confirmed the positive test, but did not name Yates.
It was the latest negative story in a week which has seen Shane Sutton resign as technical director following allegations of discrimination. He denies the claims.
