Question...
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British cycling chief Dave Brailsford expects Rob Hayles to be cleared to ride again within the next three weeks.
Hayles was withdrawn from competition on the first day of last week's World Tracks Championships following an anomaly in a routine blood test.
Brailsford said: "He has been tested every second day and the results so far show absolutely nothing untoward.
"I can't say categorically yet, but so far the results are consistent with those of a clean rider."
However, Brailsford told the Guardian newspaper: "It will be another two and a half weeks before we have proof beyond doubt."
Olympic silver medallist Hayles, 35, gave an haematocrit reading 0.3% over the permitted 50% in a pre-championships test.
606: DEBATE
Further testing is needed to determine whether (a) that result can be repeated and (
it is abnormally high for Hayles. Notice how the ban is for 2 weeks, not 2 years?
limeycowbell
The procedure was introduced by cycling's world governing body, the UCI, in 1997 in a bid to limit the illegal use of blood booster EPO.
An elevated haematocrit reading can be an indication the drug has been used, but it is not proof.
Riders with levels over 50% are deemed not fit to race on health grounds as blood which is too rich in oxygen-carrying cells brings the risk of a heart attack or a stroke.
Hayles continues to insist he has done nothing wrong.
"My main frustration is not with the testing - I believe it has to be there - but I think there needs to be anonymity," he said.
"The situation now is that I'm guilty until proven innocent, and it's a bit ironic that I was stood down on health grounds - the stress I've had in the last week has probably knocked a few months off my life."
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British cycling chief Dave Brailsford expects Rob Hayles to be cleared to ride again within the next three weeks.
Hayles was withdrawn from competition on the first day of last week's World Tracks Championships following an anomaly in a routine blood test.
Brailsford said: "He has been tested every second day and the results so far show absolutely nothing untoward.
"I can't say categorically yet, but so far the results are consistent with those of a clean rider."
However, Brailsford told the Guardian newspaper: "It will be another two and a half weeks before we have proof beyond doubt."
Olympic silver medallist Hayles, 35, gave an haematocrit reading 0.3% over the permitted 50% in a pre-championships test.
606: DEBATE
Further testing is needed to determine whether (a) that result can be repeated and (
it is abnormally high for Hayles. Notice how the ban is for 2 weeks, not 2 years? limeycowbell
The procedure was introduced by cycling's world governing body, the UCI, in 1997 in a bid to limit the illegal use of blood booster EPO.
An elevated haematocrit reading can be an indication the drug has been used, but it is not proof.
Riders with levels over 50% are deemed not fit to race on health grounds as blood which is too rich in oxygen-carrying cells brings the risk of a heart attack or a stroke.
Hayles continues to insist he has done nothing wrong.
"My main frustration is not with the testing - I believe it has to be there - but I think there needs to be anonymity," he said.
"The situation now is that I'm guilty until proven innocent, and it's a bit ironic that I was stood down on health grounds - the stress I've had in the last week has probably knocked a few months off my life."
