Share

UCI to outlaw painkiller tramadol

Paris - World cycling's governing body, the UCI, is to ban painkiller tramadol from March 1 and will punish offenders with penalties ranging from a fine to a nine-month suspension.

While the synthetic opinoid is widely available on the Internet and is not currently on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list, the tramadol ban was a campaign pledge of UCI president David Lappartient.

The UCI said a first offence would mean an event disqualification and fine, a second offence a five-month suspension going up to nine months for a third infraction.

"The ban is aimed at preserving the rider's health and safety in light of the side-effects of tramadol, across all disciplines and categories," the UCI said.

"The use of tramadol can have two types of side-effect: nausea, drowsiness and loss of concentration (increasing the risk of race crashes), and gradual dependence on the substance with a risk of developing an addiction."

The UCI decision was hailed by the "Mouvement pour un cyclisme credible" - the MPCC association which backs clean cycling and groups together seven of the 18 World Tour teams and 76% of the second division Pro-Continental teams.

"MPCC is glad to see that, despite the lack of action from WADA, UCI took the lead on this topic and found a tangible solution to this major issue, one that concerns the whole world of high-level sport," the body said.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE