Alanzo Greaves spoke yesterday for the first time since news broke on Monday that he will be slapped with a further three years on his initial one-year ban which he completed last November for a positive test for a prohibited substance, testosterone.
The standout wheelsman who denied that the use of the substance was deliberate, noted that all he can do at this point is hope that his period of illegibility is shortened if he decides to appeal the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Greaves, 28, then stated that cycling is his passion and he has no plans on retiring even though three years away from the sport in his prime could perhaps derail his career.
“I’ve been competing for 13 years now, cycling is my life, I do it for the love of the sport, I am real down and disappointed but I will take it as a just a break in my life.”
With the CAS ruling, Greaves has been declared ineligible from participating in any capacity in any event or activity (other than authorized anti-doping education or rehabilitation programmes) or competition authorized, organized or sanctioned by the Guyana Olympic Association, Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization or any other Code Signatory during the period of ineligibility.
The husband and father of three revealed that he will miss racing and competing but will lean on his family and legion of fans for support.
Greaves who reiterated that he did not seek an unfair advantage opined that he should have been given a lighter sentence since professional riders who unlike him, earn loads of cash from the sport were banned for shorter periods for similar offenses. Greaves got the maximum penalty.
Greaves was initially given a one-year ban by Caribbean Regional Anti- Doping Organization (RADO) Results Management Committee (RMC), however, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had appealed the initial 12-month in the CAS. WADA won its case after the CAS upheld the appeal filed on June 20, 2016 on the grounds that the “athlete should have been sanctioned with a four-year period of ineligibility rather than only one year.”
Having already served one year, the Caribbean RADO therefore implemented the CAS decision to ban Greaves for a further period of three years effective from January 5, 2017 until January 4, 2020.
Greaves, the first local athlete to penalized by WADA then concluded with words of advice for cyclists and other athletes: “Educate yourself on what is on the WADA list of prohibited substances, be on the safe side and know what you are using.” (Emmerson Campbell)
