Injury to blame for positive dope test in Tour de France

Kazakh sport officials came out in support of cyclist Alexander Vinokourov this week, saying they believed his positive test for blood doping during the recent Tour de France was linked to an injury.

"I do not believe that Vinokourov was guilty of doping," Kairat Aitekenov, deputy minister for tourism and sport, told reporters in the capital Astana.

"During the race he was injured and received treatment. He can't understand it himself, he's in shock," Aitekenov said.

"To win by doping is something he would consider below his honour, this is a principled sportsman."

Vinokourov's Astana team sacked the rider on Monday after his B sample was also confirmed positive for blood doping.

The 33-year-old pre-Tour favourite, tested positive following his victory in a time trial in Albi on July 21. He left the race three days later and Astana also pulled out after being invited to do so by Tour organisers.

Alexander Antyshev, executive director of Kazakhstan's cycling federation, said Vinokourov's positive test must have been linked to a crash on July 12 when he injured his knees.

"We will insist that the results of the A and B sample blood tests were the result of his heavy fall," Antyshev told a joint news conference with Aitekenov.

The scandal around Vinokourov and departure of the Astana team from the race caused widespread shock in Kazakhstan and is a blow to a government seeking to raise the oil-producing ex-Soviet state's profile on the world stage.

Vinokourov, who is facing a two-year ban from cycling and a big fine, said in a statement on Saturday he had always raced clean and questioned the competence of the French laboratory that conducted the tests.

Spaniard Alberto Contador of the Discovery Channel team won the Tour, which was marred by doping scandals.

Italian Cristian Moreni tested positive for the male sex hormone testosterone and his Cofidis team also left the race.

Michael Rasmussen was sacked by his Rabobank team when leading the race for lying about his training whereabouts, an allegation the Dane denies.

Astana suspend activity for one month

Astana are suspending their activities for one month, the cycling team said yesterday.

"Following the recent events, Astana Cycling Team have decided to stop its activities until the end of August," a statement read.

"This period of time will be the opportunity for deep questioning."