Guatemala suspends Velásquez for life

The Guatemalan national cycling federation has banned Nery Velásquez for life for his second doping violation. It has also stripped Velásquez of his victory in the 2009 Vuelta de Oro (Vuelta a Guatemala).

His teammate Alfredo Ajpacaja, who also tested positive at the race, was suspended for two years.

Both riders tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid developed for veterinary use.

Velasquez had previously been suspended for two years in 2004 for using EPO.

The president of the federation, Alfredo Flores, said that neither rider was able to provide any evidence against the charges. They were notified in writing of their suspensions on Wednesday of this week.