Clément Pédron, Media365, published on Thursday November 14, 2024 at 8:35 p.m.
While he was provisionally suspended by the UCI due to anomalies on his biological passport, Franck Bonnamour decided to stop defending himself for financial reasons. The Breton accepted the decision and retired immediately.
It is a decision with serious consequences, putting an end to a battle that Franck Bonnamour (29 years old) had been waging for several months. Indeed, on February 5, the International Cyclist Union (UCI) sent a letter to the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale rider to notify him of his provisional suspension for unexplained anomalies in his biological passport. Since then, the Breton has led a battle on all fronts to prove his innocence. But this comes at a cost. According to Ouest-France, the Costarmorican has already paid several thousand euros in legal fees and expert remuneration without having any guarantee in return. In an interview given to the daily newspaper of the great West, Franck Bonnamour announced that he was stopping fighting, accepting the sanction of the UCI and above all, that he was putting an end to his career. “It's too costly in financial terms, I'm stopping,” says the former 2013 European junior champion. We had to initiate proceedings before the UCI court, before going before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If successful, the UCI would have appealed, which would have pushed back the deadlines by a year and a half, and therefore increased the costs. I can't afford to lose everything and it's financially blocking. »
Bonnamour: “I’m afraid of the future”
Tired of all this battle that he was waging with a fierce desire to clear his honor and above all, to prove his innocence, the winner of the Polynormande in 2022 tried by all means before giving up so as not to sink. “We found an expert in biology, €4,000 for him to carry out his study,” continues Bonnamour, again for Ouest-France. He carried out a pre-analysis which clearly explained that there was a possibility of defense. He could explain my variations and my atypical profile. Before signing his report, he contacted me and my lawyer telling us that he would not go any further because some of his research is funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency… He let us go. It's been difficult for six months, I didn't want it to last two years, three years like that. My priority is to maintain a family balance. » As “OF” points out, Franck Bonnamour's lawyer is currently discussing reducing the duration of the sanction as well as the amount of the fine. But the decision to hang up the bike is irrevocable. “My career is over,” sighs the Breton. I've been through all the states. Morally, there are difficult times, I am supported by my family and I am also followed psychologically. I'm afraid of the future. I know what I did, what I didn't do. » The runner nevertheless has one last fight to wage against Decathlon AG2R which dismissed him in March for “lack of loyalty”. The Costarmorican is suing his former team before the industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal since he had warned his team of his provisional suspension at that time.
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