Cycling: Cyclist facing a two-year ban

New Zealand Olympian Jeremy Yates faces a possible two-year ban from cycling after another tangle with officialdom - this time a doping allegation.

Yates has been summoned to appear before the doping commission of the Belgium Cyclists Union and expects to know his fate early next week.

The former junior world road champion and Belgian QuickStep team member, who failed to finish the Olympic road race in Athens last month, had been called to appear before the commission with six other cyclists.

He refused to provide a B sample and appear for an initial hearing after his A sample contained unusually high levels of testosterone, Radio Sport reported.

"Monday night I'll know what's happening for sure. I think you guys have probably heard more than I have," Yates said, refusing to comment further.

Yates, 22, a former junior world champion, is with the Credit Agricole team, after signing a two-year deal for the revamped European pro circuit.

Yates' mother, Catherine Yates, refused to comment yesterday. .

Bike NZ chief executive Rodger Thompson said he was aware of the rumour regarding Yates.

"That is all that we are aware of - we have not been informed of anything in writing," he said.

The standard penalty for being found guilty of doping offences is a two-year-ban.

It is not the first time that Yates, whose first major cycling success was victory in the Junior Tour of Manawatu at the age of 16, and his brother Matthew have been in trouble with cycling officialdom.

Matthew was banned for three months for testing for the banned substance etilefrine during a tour of Japan in 2000. He was suspended for three months.

In April 2002 an independent Cycling New Zealand tribunal suspended Matthew from all national teams and squads, along with access to sports science and medicine assistance for 18 months for what it described as persistent and immature behaviour.

If the pair attended an anger management course, their ban would be reduced to one year.

The period of the ban excluded them from being selected in the New Zealand team for the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

However, the tribunal did not revoke their racing licences, which allowed them to continue riding overseas.

Cycling New Zealand general manager Mark Harris said at the time the suspension had been for a series of behavioural problems over a period of 2 to 3 months and culminated in one major incident at the Tour of Tasmania.

His father Bryan Yates sought to clarify what happened in Tasmania.

"Matthew threw a drink bottle at an Aussie rider whom he knows well, and there was a bit of swearing going on in the heat of the moment.

"He was pinged because a spectator, who heard the swearing, complained,"

"Jeremy was deliberately ridden off the road by an Australian cyclist who later came up from behind and deliberately, again, crashed into him."

- NZPA