Austrian triathlete, inaugural Ironman St. George winner, former Olympic mountain biker and this year's Xterra World Champion...Michael Weiss has been banned for two years from competition stemming from a 2005 doping infringement.
The Washington Post is reporting that:
"An independent arbitration committee of Austria’s anti-doping agency (NADA), said Tuesday it has found Weiss guilty of having his blood taken for enrichment at a blood lab in Vienna six years ago.
The committee’s ruling overturned an earlier decision by NADA, which cleared the athlete of the doping charges last year. Weiss can appeal the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland."
Weiss competed as a mountain biker in the 2004 Athens Olympics, before switching to triathlon in 2008. As a professional triathlete Weiss has had numerous Xterra podiums including winning the World Championships this year.
"This is not from anything that is remotely recent. The allegation dates back to 2005, as I was a professional mountain biker, and is based solely on one individual’s verbal accusation. NADA is a politically motivated agency and this development is in complete disagreement with the ruling by the Austrian State's attorney which dismissed the case weeks ago, as there was no evidentiary proof," Weiss recently told slowtwitch when asked about the ban.
"All of my results in triathlon will remain standing, as the case has no basis in my career as a triathlete."
Weiss will be banned from professional competition until 2013.
Follow on twitter @everymantri or view latest videos on YouTube.
