A long stretching case concerning the irregularities in the biological passport of the Belgian rider Leif Hoste, which was first reported on Cyclingquotes.com in January of this year, is finally coming to an end.

Career of 36-year-old Hoste as a professional cyclist began in 1997 and lasted for 15 years. All of his greatest results the Belgian achieved in the mid-2000’s, for which should be regarded finishing the Tour of Flanders in 2nd place three times, finishing 3rd in the Tour of Belgium and 4th in both Paris - Rubaix and Eneco Tour. Last team for which he rode was Accent Jobs – Wanty (2012).

This week the cyclist faced the disciplinary commission of the Belgian federation, where he has been adjudicated a fine of nearly 300,000 euro and sporting suspension.

The second penalty does not appear to be particularly severe, given the fact that Hoste has retired from cycling with the beginning of 2013 year, after the team Accent Jobs - Wanty have decided not to extend his contract. This occurred shortly before UCI announced that it had asked the RLVB (Belgian National Cycling Federation) to instigate a disciplinary procedure against the Belgian rider for an apparent violation of the anti-doping rules, on the basis of information provided by the blood profile in his biological passport.

Despite this, the Belgian’s attorneys, Johnny Maeschalck and Kristof De Saedeleer, still argue that his client was innocent, while the results indicating irregular blood parameters were the result of an error made in the institution responsible for anti-doping control.

"Errors were made with the controls," Maeschalck said, according theSporza.be. "Thus they, like his blood passport, are invalid. This passport should not be used as direct evidence."

Hoste himself, calls all accusations „an absurd”.

The final verdict in the case is to be announced at the end of this year, which will determine to what extent this accusations were an absurd.