Australian cyclist Michael Rogers "has told family he intends to fight to clear his name of any doping allegations," fearing he was the victim of "contaminated food in China," according to Chris Wilson of the CANBERRA TIMES. But Cycling Australia said that "it will endorse maximum penalties for Rogers if he is proven guilty" of using the banned substance clenbuterol, even though the punishment is "effectively out of its hands because he holds an international racing licence." The Canberra cycling community was "shocked on Thursday by news Rogers had been provisionally suspended" by the Int'l Cycling Union after "testing positive to clenbuterol during a Japan road race in October" (CANBERRA TIMES, 12/20). In Melbourne, Ron Reed wrote Rogers "is one of the most decorated, hardest-working road cyclists Australia has produced -- and universally regarded as good bloke, too." However, "none of that was cutting much ice at Cycling Australia's new offices." His positive test to the banned drug clenbuterol "is the fourth doping embarrassment in little over a year." Cycling Australia CEO Adrian Anderson said, "While we respect Michael Rogers's right to defend himself, we will support the maximum sanctions in the event he is found guilty of doping. For too long this great sport has been let down by drug cheats and CA supports every measure to protect the integrity of cycling and to prosecute offences" (CANBERRA TIMES, 12/19).
