South African cycling champion tests positive

South African cycling champion David George has tested positive for erythropoietin, a banned substance, revealed South African Institute for Drug Free Sport. George, a former Olympian and Lance Armstrong’s teammate, tested positive for a hormone that increases an athlete’s red blood cell count, helping to boost oxygen carrying capacity which improves performance. ‘The blood test showed suspicious activity with regard to possible manipulation of the blood profile and a subsequent urine test came back positive for the banned EPO drug,’ said the institute’s CEO Khalid Galant. George, who was on the US Postal Service cycling team between 1999 and 2000, the same time as Armstrong, is now banned from competing, pending an investigation by an independent tribunal.