Fresh off winning the opening race of the 2017 cycling season, Guyanese national cyclist, 28 year old Alanzo Greaves was slapped with a further three year ban as a result of an appeal to extend his prohibition from the sport.
This was revealed to the media at a special press briefing at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Headquarters, High Street on Monday which was addressed by a panel comprising of GOA President K.A. Juman Yassin, sitting member of the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) Dr. Karen Pilgrim and Doping Control Officer, Charles Corbin.
According to the GOA President, while there are several other factors that should be discussed, the pertinent issue was the issue was that which relates to the ban of Alanzo Greaves.
Yassin recalled that “sometime in November, 2015 there was a cycling race and as a result of a doping test, Alanzo failed. That went to the RADO and after the hearing he was found guilty and he was suspended for one year.”
However, Yassin explained that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) “felt that the one year suspension was not enough, so as a result, appealed to the court of arbitration.”
Subsequently, the court of Arbitration appointed an English lawyer to look at the matter.
The GOA boss further stated that “The matter was dealt with and he found the penalty that was inflicted should have been higher. As a result he has now been suspended for the full period of four years but three years more to serve because he served one year already and that will now be deducted, that will be effected from the 5th of January 2017 until the 4th of January 2020,” Yassin stated.
However, the information only got into circulation at this meeting; a time after Greaves won the first race of the season and when Yassin “felt it was right and proper to bring it to the attention of the fraternity.”
Adding to the debacle, Yassin made it clear that he was not in any position to say whether Greaves had indeed received notice of this ban or not but was “informed that communication was sent to Greaves.”
Dr. Piligrim explained that the test was a random test conducted where the Anti Doping body selected the cyclists based on their performances in the first four stages of the five-stage race with a total of 10 riders being tested.
The Roraima rider made a successful return to competitive cycling in November, just in time to compete in the National Three-Stage, immediately making an impact upon arrival.
Greaves snatched the 20-lap race from team Cocos Hamza Eastman and came second behind Continental rider Geron Williams in stage one eventually finishing fourth overall in the Three-Stage event in a time of four hour 40 minutes and 30 seconds. (Romario Samaroo)
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