In September 2017 COLDEPORTES reported an anti-doping rule violation against the cyclist Alejandro Ramirez Calderon after an Expert Panel of the Salt Lake City Lab concluded unanimously in January 2020 in their Joint Expert Opinion that the Athlete’s hematological profile “highly likely” showed that he used a prohibited substance or a prohibited method: the use of EPO or Blood doping.
This conclusion of the Expert Panel was based on assessment of 9 blood samples, collected in the period between September 2014 and November 2016 reported in the Athlete’s Biological Passport (ABP).
After notification the Athlete submitted an explanation about the circumstances surrounding the collected samples. However after consideration the Expert Panel rejected the Athlete’s explanations in their second joint report.
Hereafter the Athlete failed to file a statement in his defence nor attended the hearing of the FCC Disciplinary Commission.
The Disciplinaire Commission considered the validity of the proceedings against the Athlete and the evidence regarding the abnormalities in his ABP. The Commission accepts the conclusion of the Expert Panel that the Athlete had used a prohibited subsance or a prohibited method and accordingly that he had committed an anti-doping rule violation.
Therefore the FCC Disciplinary Commission decides on 7 September 2018 to impose a 4 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete starting on the date of the decision.