French rider Franck Bouyer (Bouygues Telecom) will rejoin the peloton in the Tour du Poitou-Charente...
Franck Bouyer nods off during the 2005 Bouygues Telecom team presentation. (Image credit: Régis Garnier)
French rider Franck Bouyer (Bouygues Telecom) will rejoin the peloton in the Tour du Poitou-Charente today after finally being granted permission to use restricted drug modafinil to combat his narcolepsy, according to Reuters.
The 31-year-old Bouyer has been sidelined since being told in June 2004 that he would not be allowed to use modafinil, even though he had a documented condition. Bouyer had previously been told that he would not be granted a racing licence if he did not use the drug, which prevents him from falling asleep in the middle of everyday activities.
Bouyer appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but his appeal was rejected in March on the grounds that it was impossible to determine the dose necessary to restore normal health without enhancing performance. But now WADA has granted him permission to use the drug, he says.
"It's the most beautiful victory of my career," Bouyer told Reuters. "It's also a sign that you're always rewarded for your honesty."
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