CriminalSports: CriminalSports: Cycling

APPEAL: Stefano Garzelli

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Associated Press reports Italian cyclist Stefano Garzelli appealed his two-year ban for doping. Garzelli wants his entire suspension to be annulled, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said Friday. The court said it would schedule a hearing and issue its decision within four months. Garzelli was suspended last month by the Swiss Olympic Association after testing positive for a banned diuretic during the Giro d'Italia. Part of the ban was suspended, allowing Garzelli to start racing again in April 2003.

STILL JAILED: Edita Rumsas, wife of Lithuanian cyclist Raimondas Rumsas

PARIS -- Reuters reports a French magistrate has rejected a request to release from jail the wife of the Lithuanian cyclist Raimondas Rumsas who is at the center of a Tour de France doping scandal. A local magistrate ruled Edita Rumsas had not given a convincing explanation why she was carrying doping substances when she was arrested near the Mont Blanc tunnel leading to Italy on July 28, the last day of the Tour. The hotel rooms of Rumsas's Lampre-Daikin team were raided by French police and customs officers on the same day but the rider himself had already flown home to Italy. He has since tested negative for drugs, it was announced earlier Tuesday.

PASSED: Tour de France field

GENEVA -- Reuters reports All the doping tests carried out on riders at the Tour de France this year have proved negative. The International Cycling Union (UCI) said Friday that the Anti-Doping Commission (ADC) took 141 urine samples during the three-week event and all gave negative results "regarding the doping products."

REFUSES TO SURRENDER: Raimondas Rumsas, cyclist

LYON, France -- Reuters reports Lithuanian cyclist Raimondas Rumsas, embroiled in a doping scandal following the Tour de France, has put off plans to present himself to French police and opted to stay in Italy, his lawyer said. Lawyer Pierre-Louis Piloix, representing Rumsas in France, said the rider had decided to wait until the Lithuanian ambassador to France had seen his wife, who is being held in a French prison after customs officers found drugs in her car.

MISSING: Raimondas Rumsas, cyclist

LYON, France -- Reuters reports mystery surrounded the whereabouts of Lithuanian cyclist Raimondas Rumsas, the rider embroiled in a doping probe, Wednesday after he missed a flight from Italy to Lyon where he was due to present himself to police. Lawyer Pierre-Louis Piloix, representing Rumsas in France, said he had not heard from the rider since Wednesday morning.

SUSPENDED: Raimondas Rumsas, cyclist

PARIS -- Associated Press reports Raimondas Rumsas, the third-place finisher in the Tour de France, was suspended by his Lampre team Monday after French police detained his wife on suspicion of carrying doping products.

ARRESTED: Jonathan Boyer, cycling

SALINAS, Calif. -- Associated Press reports Jonathan "Jacques" Boyer, a former Tour de France competitor, was charged with 10 felony counts of child molestation. Boyer, 46, of Seaside, Calif., was arrested May 16 after a 16-year-old girl told police he sexually molested her for several years. Boyer posted $300,000 bail and was released.

BANNED: Jan Ullrich, German cyclist

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Associated Press reports 1997 Tour de France champion, Jan Ullrich, was banned from cycling for six months Tuesday after testing positive for amphetamines. Ullrich was given half the maximum suspension and was fined $1,400, the German cycling federation said.

SUSPENDED: Kirk O'Bee, U.S. cyclist

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Associated Press reports American cyclist Kirk O'Bee was given a one-year suspension by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for anabolic steroids.

July 09, 2002

LIFETIME BAN APPEALED: Tammy Thomas, former U.S. cycling team member

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Associated Press reports U.S. Cycle team member Tammy Thomas has asked for a hearing on the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's proposal to ban her from competition for life because of a positive test for steroids.

July 07, 2002

SUPPORT: Jan Ullrich, German cyclist

LUXEMBOURG – Reuters reports Tour de France leader Lance Armstrong praised German rival Jan Ullrich for his honesty in confessing to taking amphetamine pills. Ullrich, the 1997 Tour winner and runner-up to Armstrong in 2000 and last year, is missing this year's event with a knee injury. The German, who tested positive on June 12, said he took the pills in a personal crisis and denied it was to boost his performance.

July 06, 2002

CONFESSION: Jan Ullrich, German cyclist

FRANKFURT – Reuters reports top German cyclist Jan Ullrich, who tested positive for an amphetamine, said on Saturday he accepted the result and admitted taking "pills" while out the night before the test.

BANKROLLING: Saeco, Italian coffee machine maker

LUXEMBOURG – Reuters reports Italian coffee machine maker Saeco, which is barred from this year's Tour de France after its team leader Gilberto Simoni failed two drugs tests, says there is a strong chance they will take over the Mapei-Quick Step team, who last week announced they would end their sponsorship of the world's largest professional cycling team.

July 04, 2002

TEAM SUPPORT: Jan Ullrich, German cyclist

BERLIN – Reuters reports top German cyclist Jan Ullrich, the 1997 Tour de France winner who has tested positive for an amphetamine, could not have been trying to boost his performance, his Team Telekom said on Thursday. Team Telekom leader Walter Godefroot said Ullrich had been granted leave at least until the results of a second urine test.

July 03, 2002

FAILED DRUG TEST: Jan Ullrich, German cyclist

Reuters reports top German cyclist Jan Ullrich and the 1997 Tour de France winner has tested positive for an amphetamine while training after a knee operation. Amphetamines are banned substances and classed by the IOC as stimulants. Ullrich faces possible suspension.

FAILED DRUG TEST: Laurent Paumier, French cyclist

PARIS – The Associated Press reports French rider Laurent Paumier was dropped from the Tour de France after failing a drug test. Paumier was withdrawn by his AG2R Prevoyance team after testing positive for corticosteroids, which serves as an anti-inflammatory or to treat asthma or allergies, team manager Vincent Lavenu said.