Auf Wiedersehen, Pat? Sinkewitz tests positive for human growth hormone

The UCI has announced that Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli rider Patrik Sinkewitz has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for human growth hormone. The 30-year-old had been due to race in the Milan-San Remo tomorrow, but obviously won't be now.

The former T-Mobile rider, sacked by that team in July 2007 for refusing the test of a B sample after his A sample had tested positive for testosterone, subsequently admitted having used EPO in November that year. That resulted in him receiving a one-year ban.
In its statement today, the UCI said:

“Earlier today, the UCI advised German rider Patrik Sinkewitz that he is provisionally suspended. The decision to provisionally suspend Mr Sinkewitz was made in response to a report from the WADA accredited laboratory in Lausanne indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone in a blood sample collected from him at an in-competition test carried out by Antidoping Switzerland, authorized by the UCI, at the GP di Lugano on 27 February 2011.

“This is the first suspension delivered in cycling on the basis of a test for the detection of the growth hormone and one of the first cases in all sports combined. This adverse analytical finding is therefore a new and important step in cycling’s fight against doping.

“The provisional suspension remains in force until a hearing panel convened by the German Cycling Federation determines whether Mr Sinkewitz has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules.

“Mr Sinkewitz has the right to request and attend the analyses of his B sample.

“Under the World Anti-Doping Code and the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the UCI is unable to provide any additional information at this time,” the statement concluded.