May 28/10 20:16 pm - Barry Faces CCES Investigation

Posted by Editor on 05/28/10
 

Michael Barry, the Canadian ProTour rider with Team Sky, will be subject to an investigation by the Canadian anti-doping agency after allegations of doping made by former cyclist Floyd Landis. In a series of e-mails to cycling officials, which were subsequently leaked to the media during the Amgen Tour of California, Landis accused Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer David Zabriskie, Michael Barry and other former team mates of used banned substances such as EPO. (See our reports here, here and here, and Michael Barry's response to us here)

Greg Mathieu, CEO of the Canadian Cycling Association, confirmed today that Barry will be subjected to an investigation by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), as a result of the allegations.

"This is a built-in process for the Canadian anti-doping program," explained Mathieu. "If a circumstance comes about, the CCES is tasked to carry out an initial review. They will look at whatever analytical information they have, and make sure that nothing has been missed [in the past]."

The CCES will work with other anti-doping agencies to obtain relevant data, but the CCES will perform the investigation, just as the USADA will investigate allegations against American riders. The UCI has also requested similar investigations by the French, Belgian and Australian NADOs (National Anti-Doping Organizations) because of similar allegations.

Mathieu says that Barry has been informed of the investigation, and says that he expects the CCES to finish its analysis relatively quickly.

"It's not a strung out process," said Mathieu.