Former mountain bike world champion positive for female hormone
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Roel Paulissen (Cannondale) on the first row(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
World champion Roel Paulissen (Belgium) celebrates on the podium with Alban Lakata (Austria), left, and Christoph Sauser (Switzerland), right. (Image credit: Lars Eberhart/nyx.at)
Belgian cycling federation prosecutors have recommended that mountain biker Roel Paulissen be suspended for 24 months and pay a fine of 87,500 Euro. He tested positive twice this summer for a female hormone.
Paulissen, 34, was reigning mountain bike marathon world champion when he tested positive on June 6 and 19. Traces of clomiphene, a female hormone generally used in infertility treatments, was found in both tests. It is often taken by male anabolic steroid users because it increases the natural production of testosterone.
The Belgian denied having taken the drug and blamed his positive tests on a tainted supplement. He announced his retirement after the positive results emerged and the Cannondale Factory Racing team subsequently ended its links with him.
A final ruling on the prosecutor's recommendation is expected on November 22.
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