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Former Rock Racing rider Leogrande banned for second doping case

By Cycling News

published 28 August 2017

Eight years for Californian who was positive for seven banned substances

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Kayle Leogrande (Rock Racing)(Image credit: Jon Devich)

The US Anti-Doping Agency today announced that Kayle Leogrande has been banned for eight years after testing positive for seven different banned substances in a doping control taken at this year's Dana Point Grand Prix.

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Leogrande gets two years

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Leogrande talks about his two-year doping sanction

Leogrande, 40, was found positive for the anti-estrogen drug raloxifene, four Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARM), ostarine, RAD140, LGD4033 and andarine, ibutamoren (a growth hormone-like factor), and GW1516 sulfone (the 'exercise in a pill' drug).

Of all seven of the drugs found in Leongrande's sample, only raloxifene is approved for human use as an osteoporosis treatment. The other six are in development or, in the case of GW1516 which was abandoned by its developers after it caused cancer in lab animals, have been found unsuitable for humans.

It was the second doping case for Leogrande, who previously served a two-year ban for a non-analytical positive after admitting to using the banned blood booster EPO during the Superweek series in 2007 to his then-Rock Racing soigneur Suzanne Sonye.

Leogrande attempted to sue both Sonye and Matt Decanio - who posted a phone conversation in which Sonye described Leogrande's confession to his website - for slander, but the suit was struck down by the courts. Leogrande was then found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation by USADA because of his admission to Sonye. He later admitted to having used EPO.

Following his most recent positive test from the Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling, where he won the Masters 35+ event, Leogrande did not request a hearing to contest the charges against him, and accepted a provisional suspension on May 25, 2017. He has been disqualified for all results on or after April 30, 2017.

Leogrande’s eight-year period of ineligibility began on May 25, 2017, the date he accepted a provisional suspension. In addition, Leogrande has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to April 30, 2017, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.