The 29-year-old runner, who must explain anomalies linked to his biological passport, says he is now free to communicate about his situation and claims to be preparing his defense before the international body with the help of lawyers and scientists. “I have always done my job respecting the rules that the UCI imposes on me,” he wrote. I have always complied, of course, with the numerous anti-doping controls that this sport has required of me for years. I have never used prohibited products or any blood manipulation. […] I have always been an honest, upright and clean runner and therefore cannot be accused of cheating. »
The French team reacted in another press release published in the evening, confirming the dismissal and recalling that despite Bonnamour’s recruitment a season ago, the UCI suspension “follows checks carried out before his arrival in the team on January 1, 2023”, and that the “Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale” team advocates the practice of cycling in line with strong ethical rules.
The Breton rider, super-combatant in the 2021 Tour de France, indicates at the end of his message that he will “not communicate further regarding the current procedure, which is confidential”. Contacted, he has not yet responded to our requests.