KUALA LUMPUR: The inaugural 2017 Tour de Selangor race has been tainted when a rider from a local team tested positive for using a banned substance.
According to a source, the rider who is attached to a team with club status tested positive after the third stage of the race which was from Shah Alam to Pandan Indah that was held on October 19.
"The test carried out found the rider to have consumed a banned substance which contained anabolic steroid (S1 category) from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (Wada) list,” added the source.
It is understood that the national cycling association, the Malaysian National Cycyling Federation (PKBM) have already issued a show cause letter to the rider, who faces a four year ban if found guilty.
The race which has status of 2.2 on the Asia Tour calendar, was held over five stages from October 17 to October 21 with 15 teams from within the country and overseas taking part.
This latest development has tainted the image of national cycling with the last cyclist charged for doping being two years ago in 2015 involving national track cyclist, Shah Firdaus Sahrom.
This is the fifth doping case recorded this year involving Malaysian athletes after muay thai, diving, weightlifting and recently hockey involving national hockey goalkeeper S. Kumar.