Boonen also on Ecstasy?

Tom Boonen used not only cocaine but also the party drug Ecstasy, according to the Gazet van Antwerpen. The sprinter's attorney has protested that his client is not being handled fairly.

Boonen tested positive for cocaine at an out-of-competition test the end of May. He denied having used the drug, but sportwereld.be reported that a hair-sample test showed that he used the drug "often" over a period of months.

According to the Gazet van Antwerpen, tests show that he used Ecstasy, also known as XTC or MDMA, which is an amphetamine and psychedelic drug.

Boonen's attorney, Johnny Maeschalck, has not yet seen the file. "But it is clear that Boonen is not getting the average treatment," he said. "No ordinary Flemish citizen would go to court for this, that is certain."

A decision by the court will be made in early January as to whether to prosecute the 27-year-old Quick Step rider. (SW)