COLORADO SPRINGS: Belgian Geert Leinders was issued a life ban for doping violations during his time as chief doctor for the Rabobank pro cycling team, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Thursday.
The American anti-doping watchdog revealed the ban was imposed by a three-member US arbitration appeal panel of the North American Court of Arbitration for Sport against Leinders for multiple violations during his time as a Rabobank board of directors member and team chief physician.
The investigation of Leinders began with USADA discovering evidence in 2012 during its investigation of doping within cycling and included Dutch and Danish anti-doping groups as well.
After a hearing where detailed evidence, including eyewitness testimony, supported documents and abnormal blood findings of cyclists, the independent arbitration panel ruled Leinders possessed, trafficked, and administered banned performance enhancing substances and methods without any legitimate medical need, including EPO, blood transfusion paraphernalia, testosterone, insulin, the steroid DHEA and corticosteroids to athletes under his care and was complicit in other anti-doping rule violations.
The panel also found the charges involved aggravating circumstances to justify a life ban.
As a result, Leinders is prohibited from training or advising athletes and taking part in any event sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) or any other WADA-overseen agency.
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