Canberra cyclist Michael Rogers has told family he intends to fight to clear his name of any doping allegations, fearing he was was the victim of contaminated food in China.
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But Cycling Australia says it will endorse maximum penalties for Rogers if he is proven guilty of using the banned substance clenbuterol, even though the punishment is effectively out of its hands because he holds an international racing licence.
Members of the Canberra cycling community were shocked on Thursday by news Rogers had been provisionally suspended by the International Cycling Union after testing positive to clenbuterol during a Japan road race in October.
Family members in Canberra and professional colleagues declined to comment, given the testing process is continuing and Rogers has the right to request analysis of his B sample.
But Rogers contacted his family in Canberra in the early hours of Thursday morning to inform them of the result and to proclaim his innocence.
Rogers faces a maximum two-year-ban if found guilty and, at 33, it could potentially end his cycling career.
Rogers immediately told his professional team, Saxo-Tinkoff, of the adverse result once he received the notification from the UCI, fearing he may have eaten contaminated meat.
''The Australian explained to the team management that he never ingested the substance knowingly nor deliberately and fears that the adverse analytical finding originates from a contaminated food source,'' a statement from Saxo-Tinkoff read.
''Michael Rogers participated in the Tour of Beijing the week before the Japan Cup and travelled directly from China to Japan.''
Rogers provided the positive urine sample during his victory at the Japan Cup road race on October 20, a week after racing in China. The UCI and WADA have previously warned athletes to be cautious in China due to the use of clenbuterol to promote growth of livestock.
The UCI has said the provisional ban will remain in force ''until a hearing panel convened by his national federation determines whether he has committed an anti-doping rule violation''.
But it was revealed on Thursday that Rogers does not hold an Australian racing licence.
Therefore, if he is found guilty, the sanctions will not be determined by Cycling Australia.
Although Rogers has represented Australia at numerous Commonwealth Games, Olympics and world championships, there was confusion among Australian cycling officials about Rogers' international registration on Thursday.
It is understood he holds a racing licence in either Italy - where he lives - or in neighbouring Switzerland.
But Cycling Australia chief executive Adrian Anderson said the body would support maximum penalties if Rogers was found guilty.
''Whilst we respect Michael Rogers' right to defend himself, we will support the maximum sanctions under the WADA code if he is found guilty of doping,'' Anderson said.
''The fact that the drug testing process continues to uncover positive tests should be a lesson to all cyclists that if they chose to dope they can expect to be caught.
''For too long the sport of cycling has been let down at the international level by drug cheats and CA supports every measure to detect and prosecute doping offenders.
''This sport has had a tortured history of doping … it's a great sport and it deserves better.''
Every staff member, coach and rider who represents Australia in international competition from 2013 onwards is required to sign a no-doping statutory declaration stating they have never participated in any illegal doping practices.
Rogers has spoken out publicly against doping throughout his career, given riders later found guilty of doping offences had previously denied him major international medals.
Rogers won three consecutive world time trial championships between 2003 and 2005, but was awarded the first only after British rider David Millar confessed to taking EPO.
Rogers finished fourth at the 2004 Atlanta Olympics, but had to wait almost eight years to be upgraded to bronze when winner Tyler Hamilton was disqualified for blood doping.
But Rogers has also had to defend his own reputation in the past.
Rogers left Tour de France-winner, Team Sky, at the end of last year, to join Alberto Contador at Saxo-Tinkoff.
After the Lance Armstrong drug scandal, Team Sky demanded that all its riders sign a statement saying they had never used performance-enhancing drugs.
Rogers said his reason for leaving was purely financial. ''We came close to a deal, but at the end of the day there was simply a better offer for me at Saxo Bank,'' he said at the time.
Rogers, a veteran of nine Tour de France campaigns, had also been named in evidence in the Armstrong case as working with controversial doctor Michele Ferrari in 2005.
Rogers ended that relationship in 2006 at the request of his team at the time, T-Mobile. Rogers admitted last year that he regretted the relationship, but denied there was ever any doping.
''I can understand it tainted, maybe, my reputation; but it's an error I made. I have to accept that.''
Clenbuterol, which helps build muscle and burn fat, is the same substance Contador tested positive to at the 2010 Tour de France, resulting in the stripping of his title.
Contador blamed contaminated meat for the positive test but WADA rejected the Spaniard's claim and banned him for two years.
Former Australian cyclists Stuart O'Grady and Matt White this year admitted to doping during their careers but, unlike Rogers, they did not test positive in competition.