Mr. Roman Kreuziger – Press Release following Provisional Suspension by UCI, 5.8.2014

In recent days and weeks much misleading and imprecise information has been published in the media concerning Mr. Kreuziger’s biological passport review by the UCI.

On Saturday 2.8.2014, just a day prior to the start of 2014 Tour of Poland, and more than a month after discussions on his biological passport data analysis, the UCI decided on Mr. Kreuziger’s provisional suspension.

Mr. Kreuziger now wishes to explain the facts of this matter to try to avoid any misunderstandings going forward.

–          The UCI reviewed Mr. Kreuziger’s biological passport data from March until August 2011, as well as from April until the end of Giro d’Italia in 2012. The review started in June 2013.

–          In May 2014 the UCI informed Mr. Kreuziger that the CADF three member evaluation panel reached a conclusion on “probable” doping on the basis of biological passport data from 2012.

–          Mr. Kreuziger strongly refutes this assumption. His blood profile data at no time exceeded the limit values set by the UCI itself, but only approached the limits on one occasion, which was caused by extreme dehydration after (an unsuccessful) mountain stage of the Giro d’Italia 2012.

–          Three independent experts contacted by Mr. Kreuziger’s management on the basis of anonymity confirmed independently of one another that the assumption of the CADF expert panel is wrong.

–          There is no disciplinary decision in place in the matter of Mr. Kreuziger’s alleged violation, nor any decision imposing any sanction, and until last Saturday Mr. Kreuziger had not been banned in any manner from his racing activities.

–          Mr. Kreuziger and his team agreed to retire the rider from the 2014 Tour de France edition with regard to the fact the UCI experts panel assumption had been announced shortly before its start and the rider had to fully focus on his legal defense and expert opinions.

–          However, after Mr. Kreuziger’s team published the press release on the riders appearance in the 2014 Tour of Poland, the UCI announced its intention to ban the rider immediately, which actually happened on Saturday, 2.8.2014, the night before the race started.

–          Mr. Kreuziger and his legal counsel strongly oppose the UCI decision, which has no basis in the UCI legislation, allowing imposition of a provisional suspension only in cases of a positive A sample, which is not Mr. Kreuziger’s case. Other preliminary measures can only be imposed when there exists a risk that the results of a race might be affected by the alleged doping activity of the rider (it’s hard to imagine how the 2014 race results could be affected by a blood profile finding from 2012?), and only after providing the rider an opportunity to deliver a written submission – which did not happen.

–          Mr. Kreuziger will now appeal against his provisional suspension to the CAS and will ask the UCI for its immediate lifting in view of the approaching Vuelta a Espana.

“I am deeply frustrated by this current situation, which makes it impossible for me to do my job and ride my bike. I’m not a cheat, and I have not committed any doping offence. Experts confirm that there is no evidence of any alleged anti-doping rule violation in my case. This has been going on since June 2013, and still there is no formal case opened against me. Despite this I’m now provisionally suspended. I sincerely hope that this situation can be resolved quickly and not turned into a political matter,” Roman Kreuziger says.

“I am grateful to my team, Tinkoff-Saxo, for their support, and it helps me to know they trust me and have faith in me based on our working relationship and the expert opinions on my case.”