T-Mobile's Sinkewitz tests positive

MARSEILLE, France: German T-Mobile rider Patrik Sinkewitz has tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone, the German cycling federation (BDR) said yesterday.

The announcement comes at a time the team is recovering from a series of doping revelations by former riders for its predecessor Team Telekom.

Germany's National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has informed the federation that a test on a first sample Sinkewitz gave on June 8 had shown increased levels of the hormone, the BDR said on its website.

Sinkewitz, who pulled out of the Tour de France earlier this week with a broken nose and a shoulder injury after a collision with a spectator, could face a two-year suspension.

The BDR said it would write to 26-year-old, who has been suspended by T-Mobile, and he would then have five days to decide whether to request a second sample given on June 8 be tested.

If that confirmed the positive result, the BDR said it would take the case to the federal court for sport and T-Mobile said it would cancel the rider's contract.

In a statement, Christian Frommert, director of sponsoring communication at Deutsche Telekom AG, said of the future of the company's cycling sponsorship: "After the Tour de France everybody involved will sit down to discuss the way forward in a calm and considered way."

German state television stations ARD and ZDF said they would stop broadcasting the Tour until the results of the B sample were known.

Speaking before the start of the 10th stage of the Tour - a 229.5km ride from Tallard to Marseille - T-Mobile general manager Bob Stapleton said: "He is suspended and if the analysis of the B sample is also positive his contract will be terminated."

Stapleton said the news was "extremely disappointing" but underlined his commitment to the fight against doping.

Agencies

(China Daily 07/19/2007 page24)