Ferrand-Prevot hits back at CAS decision to lift Armitstead's provisional ban

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"Just shameful" are the words that former world champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot posted on Twitter to describe the news that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had lifted a provisional ban on Lizzie Armitstead after she had three missed tests in her World Anti-Doping whereabouts file within a 12-month period.

The Briton was embroiled in controversy regarding her problematic whereabouts; a missed test in August 2015, a filing error in October, 2015, and a second missed test in June this year.

On July 11, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) provisionally suspended Armitstead after the three errors in her file. However, Armitstead brought her case to CAS where she successfully had the first missed test removed, and her ban was lifted on July 21, effectively allowing her to compete at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this weekend.

In a report in L'Equipe, Ferrand-Prevot explained why she used the harsh word shameful to describe CAS' final decision to remove one of Armitstead's missed tests and lift her ban.

“I said the decision was shameful. I never said she took something or that she has doped," said Ferrand-Prévot.

"The rules have to be the same for everyone. Otherwise, we no longer have [anti-doping] control. I was still tested three times a week.

"She didn't show up for a test. The tester didn't find her, that's what she says. In any case, when you have three no-shows, it's you who has the problem."

Although some in the cycling community of athletes reacted on social media concerning Armitstead's whereabouts errors and CAS' final decision, most were relatively quiet.

However, Ferrand-Prevot said, "Everyone agrees with me but nobody said anything. If it happened to me, then the Federation would say, 'You're not participating in the games,' and that's it."