Contador says WADA doping rules are outdated

Doping regulations are outdated in light of scientific advances, Alberto Contador has said. The minimal amount of Clenbuterol found in his body through the ingestion of contaminated meat could neither give him a competitive advantage nor could it have been taken voluntarily, he claimed. Clenbuterol is currently on WADA's banned list and the anti-doping body have no acceptable levels for the substance. They have publicly dismissed Contador's argument over whether the traces were enough to give him an advantage.

Writing on his personal website, Contador, who is facing a one-year ban and the loss of the 2010 Tour de France title, said that the anti-doping rules list substances “that are taken by some athletes to improve performance, leaving the rest of the competitors at a disadvantage, and one of these substances in Clenbuterol.”

Therefore, if Clenbuterol was discovered “in an amount sufficient to improve performance, and could only have appeared in the body if taken voluntarily, it was taken with that end in mind.”

Today, however, he continued, saying scientific advances “are able to detect minute amounts” of substances – quantities so small that they could neither be performance enhancing or have been taken voluntarily.  “This is my case with Clenbuterol."

“But whereas scientific advances have arrived in the year 2010, the rule remains stuck in the '60s,” Contador said.

“Only by combining scientific advances with modifications to the anti-doping rules will it be possible to talk about honest and fair sport, as I have always practised it."