Cycling: Games shutout looms over Vertongen row

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealand cyclists seeking to compete at next year's Commonwealth Games will be hoping that their sport quickly falls into line with the testing policy of the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency.

Concerned at the fallout from the Lee Vertongen case, National Olympic Committee chairman John Davies has joined the call for the sport to act urgently.

Agency chief Graham Steel confirmed yesterday that the testing programme with New Zealand Cycling had been suspended.

Unless that programme is back in place at least six months before next year's Manchester Commonwealth Games - as laid down in NOC regulations - cyclists will not be allowed to compete.

Davies has also expressed concern at what appears to be a lack of consistency across New Zealand sports in their implementation of penalties for drug offences.

"I believe we should have a consistent set of rules," said Davies. "Athletes in all sports should be on a level playing field.

"In track and field, for example, that latitude [as accorded Vertongen] is not afforded their athletes."

"I have already spoken to Graham Steel, who has indicated what is required.

"I hope it is sorted out quickly as it would be unfair to penalise the whole sport of cycling."

Vertongen returned a positive test to the banned amphetamine methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or Ecstacy, during the national track championships at Dunedin in March.

His case was heard in Wellington last month by an independent tribunal of Philip McCabe, Trish McKelvey and Miles Davidson.

After submissions from Vertongen and others, including lawyer Tim Castle, the tribunal decided not to suspend Vertongen but disqualified him from the last race of the championships.

Steel maintained that the drug finding should have earned a two-year ban and reacted by suspending the sport's testing programme.

Yesterday, Castle said Steel had no cause to be "flabbergasted" by the tribunal's decision.

He said anyone who had heard the "full facts" would agree that the penalty had not sent a wrong message to anyone who might be contemplating using drugs.

"Lee Vertongen admitted he had been foolish in taking the action he did in respect of the capsule he had been given to help counter the effects of a serious bout of influenza," said Castle.

"It was a serious misjudgment not a case of blatant Ecstasy use," he said.

"The principle findings by the tribunal have been made public.

"It is not necessary for them to set out the full facts of their judgment," said Castle.

A statement from Cycling New Zealand last night said, in part, that "they [the tribunal] had exercised their discretion on the issue of penalty once the athlete had satisfied them with the circumstance in which the substance was administered."

That is unlikely to satisfy Peter Dale, chief executive of the Hillary Commission, who has already said that funding for cycling was under review.

"They have to understand they cannot be soft on drugs," Dale said.

"All credit to Tim Castle for getting Lee Vertongen off.

"I feel sorry for him, but if he had been caught at an Olympics he would be out.

"We have to move on. There is no point in having a witch-hunt but, in reality, it is the same as people who say you can't be half-pregnant," Dale said.

"You have either taken drugs or have not."