EXCLUSIVE-Cycling-UCI attack French Anti-Doping Agency

By Julien Pretot

PARIS, Oct 29 (Reuters) - The International Cycling Union (UCI) has accused the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) of failures in its testing procedures in a report sent to the World Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday.

“It is important for everyone to understand that AFLD is far from perfect in the implementation of their own anti-doping activities”, said a copy of the report obtained by Reuters.

“By the start of the Tour, UCI had conducted 190 out-of competition tests on riders short listed for the Tour, while AFLD had conducted 13 tests.

“Of these, six were on French riders whom they have access to test all year round. But of great significance is that five of the samples collected from riders in the same French team, were sent to the laboratory with the full names and details of the riders.

“This completely invalidates the anonymous chain of custody requirements of the Code and International Standard of Testing.”

AFLD officials were unavailable for comment.

Last month, the AFLD criticised the UCI, saying Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador’s Astana team were given preferential treatment by the governing body’s testers. The UCI have denied the allegations.

(Editing by John Mehaffey; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)