T-Mobile Cycling Team's Patrik Sinkewitz Fired For Positive Drug Test

31 July 2007 (By VOA Sports) -- The T-Mobile cycling team has fired German cyclist Patrik Sinkewitz, following his positive drug test in June and his refusal to have his "B" sample tested.

T-Mobile spokesman Christian Frommert said when the 26-year-old Sinkewitz declined to have his backup sample tested, it counted as a positive doping test to the team.

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Sinkewitz was fired Tuesday after initially being suspended by the Germany-based cycling team. He had tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone during training on June eighth, one month before the Tour de France. The German competed in the Tour until he crashed into a spectator during the eighth stage on July 15.

Meanwhile, Spanish rider Iban Mayo tested positive for the endurance-enhancing drug EPO (erythropoietin) during the Tour on July 24th. Mayo was suspended without pay by his Saunier Duval-Prodir cycling team, which says it will fire Mayo if his "B" sample confirms the positive result.

(Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP.)

Source: VOANews.com