Courtesy of
The Portuguese Cycling Federation has banned national cyclist Pedro Lopes for 15 years for a second doping violation, according to . Lopes's failure to disclose his whereabouts to doping authorities on three occasions over the last 18 months has earned him the longest suspension in the sport's history.
The lengthy punishment means that the 35-year-old cyclist, who rode for Portugal in the 1996 Olympics and 2002 and '03 World Championships, will not be able to compete again until he is 50 years old. Lopes's first scrape with doping officials occurred in 2004 when he won Portugal's national champioships but then tested positive for dope, which cost him the title.
To read more about policing for dope in cycling, check out this article on the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration's investigation of Lance Armstrong.
— Will Grant
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