The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has announced that it has notified Italian rider Giampaolo Caruso of an Adverse Analytical Finding of Erythropoietin (EPO) in a sample collected during an out-of-competition test on 27 March 2012. The sample had been stored and was reanalysed in light of new scientific developments.

(As per the World Anti-Doping Code and the UCI ADR, the UCI has established a Storage and Reanalysis Strategy. The strategy, implemented by the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF), provides that samples from the leaders of the Grand Tours, UCI World Championships and general rankings of all cycling disciplines will be stored for potential retesting. Other samples, based on risk assessment carried out by the CADF, laboratory recommendations, Athlete Biological Passport data, new detection methods and scientific developments, will also be retained for retesting. The standard time of storage and further reanalysis under this strategy is up to 10 years.

The rider has the right to request and attend the analysis of the B sample.

In accordance with UCI Anti-doping Rules (UCI ADR), the rider has been provisionally suspended until the adjudication of the affair.

At this stage of the procedure, the UCI will not comment any further.
 

This is the second positive test for a Katusha rider within two months after Luca Paolini tested positive for cocaine at the Tour de France. Katusha is a member of the Mouvement pour un Cyclisme Crédible (MPCC), and in accordance with those rules must self-suspend their team for eight days, should two riders test positive within a 12-month period. However, Carouso's and Paolini's controls were taken more than three years apart so it is uncertain whether the team will be forced to miss the Vuelta or not. Due to new UCI rules, the UCI can also suspend the entire team.

Katusha has issued the following statement on the matter:

"Team Katusha  has been informed this afternoon by the UCI that Italian rider Giampaolo Caruso has been notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding. The presence of erythropoietin has been detected in a sample collected on 27th March 2012. In accordance with the UCI Regulations the rider has been provisionally suspended.

"Bearing in mind the anti-doping regulations, the team will wait until the analysis of the B sample has been conducted before taking any further action or making further comment. However, Team Katusha would like to underline that this news comes as a complete shock."

Caruso had been selected for the Vuelta which starts on Saturday.