Alberto Contador’s hope that WADA might impose a threshold limit for Clenbuterol was dashed Tuesday, with the World Anti Doping Agency confirming that the substance will remain banned in any quantities.
The agency released its 2012 prohibited list and the growth promoter and breathing enhancer remains listed as a prohibited substance, under the section of Other Anabolic Agents. It is classed alongside selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), tibolone, zeranol, zilpaterol.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by WADA, it indicted that no change is envisaged at this point in time. “At present, and based on expert opinions, there is no plan to introduce a threshold level for clenbuterol,” it said.
Contador was hoping that a minimum permissible level would be allowed. He tested positive for tiny traces of the substance on the second rest day of the 2010 Tour de France, and claimed that the source of the substance was in contaminated meat bought in the Basque Country.
Analyses carried out within the EU had previously shown that there were practically no issues with meat products. Outside Europe, it is understood that contamination problems exist in South America and China.
Contador is due to appear before the Court of Arbitration for Sport between November 21st and 24th. The UCI and WADA are appealing a decision taken in February of this year by the Spanish federation RFEC to clear him without sanction.
Last week his case appeared to get a boost when Professor David Cowan of King’s College London, who will head up anti-doping testing at next year’s Olympic Games, told the BBC that he would prefer to see the no-tolerance rule dropped.
“Personally, I think that having some threshold would give some more uniformity to the test, but pragmatically we don't want to limit the sensitivity of tests,” he said.
“Having a threshold as we do for many substances is a way to get some uniformity so we don't necessarily detect just one molecule. In any type of forensic investigation, it isn't only the presence but also the circumstances which are important when determining a case.”
Some changes to WADA code:
One of the biggest changes to the code for 2012 is the removal of the beta 2 agonist Formoterol from the prohibited list. It is now permitted up to the therapeutic dose limit of 36 micrograms per 24 hours, joining salbutamol (1600 micrograms over 24 hours) and inhaled salmeterol as substances which can be taken at low levels.
Alcohol is no longer prohibited in-competition for ninepin and tenpin bowling, while beta blockers are no longer banned in bobsleigh and skeleton, curling, modern pentathlon, motorcycling, sailing and wrestling.
Nicotine has been put on WADA’s 2012 monitoring programme, with concerns existing that it might be abused via oral tobacco products.
The narcotics hydrocone and tramadol are also being monitored, as are glucocorticosteroids.