Cycling: Yates banned for two years

The career of promising New Zealand cyclist Jeremy Yates is on hold as the Olympic road racer has been branded a drugs cheat.

Belgian authorities have banned Yates for two years for failing a doping test in March.

Yates returned abnormally high levels of testosterone in a random drugs test and failed to submit a B sample.

Belgian cycling spokeswoman Cathleen Lemmens says his ban takes effect from the first of December and he must also pay costs and a $900 fine.

Lemmens concedes the case dragged on, but says they have had many cases lately.

Yates had already been suspended by his French pro team Credit Agricole, pending the outcome of the investigation.

However, Bike NZ still allowed him to race at the Olympics and the under-23 world championships in Italy in September.

Lemmens says Yates can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

- NEWSTALK ZB