Simon Yates "ashamed and embarrassed" at doping ban

So Orica GreenEdge made a mistake, whoops. Now Simon Yates has fewer clubs to choose from if he were to look for a new contract. Mmmmm, maybe not such a bad mistake for them.

He has been a lifelong asthma sufferer, and this has indeed been known by everyone for a long time. He had asthma before he had a pro cycling career. And his medical records support this. As do the memories of some of his youth cycling competitors. 

This is very different to finding someone laced with EPO....unless of course Lance and others are claiming they had a fundamental issue with red blood cell production for all their lives and had previously held an exemption for using substances to address this. Lance's only time he could have legitimately used EPO is when he was on chemo....that's what it was developed for. And it's a wonder drug for people then. But that is very different to an asthma treatment. 

I rather thought that he had been using it as a therapeutic treatment for a long time and that both the condition and the treatment were known about.  However, a positive test without the appropriate paperwork  in place is a violation of the rules - hence the short ban.

Whether his or his doctor's choice of medication has anything to do with additional benefits I wouldn't care to say, but I suggest that treatment of the medical condition is the first priority.

I agree on the length of his ban as he did fail a drugs test, however the team Dr should be the one sacked for making a mistake in what is a very simple procedure.

I know both Yates brothers have ambitions to ride for Sky so it will be interesting to see how this is viewed considering their zero tolerance policy.

He doped. He knew it, the team doctor knew it. Banged to rights. 

I think the UCI have got this one right.

1. The UCI have upheld the principle that an athlete is ultimately responsible for what is in his body.
2. The UCI have reflected on the fact Simon Yates has held a Theraputic Use Exemption (TUE) for this condition and this medication.
3. The UCI have accepted that it was an oversight.

Two years would have been Draconian, one year too harsh and no sanction would have sent out the wrong message. Four months in the middle of the season is a sharp rebuke and a reminder to other teams and riders of their responsibilities.

I do not feel that comparisons to Lance Armstrong and Eastern European athletes are valid or warranted in this case.

Having said all that, I do feel that there needs to be more research into Exercise Induced Asthma (EIA) and the possible abuses of TUE's.

Seems a bit harsh considering weight of opinion is that it's not performance enhancing. Oh well, rules are rules and all that.