The United States Anti-Doping Agency announced Thursday that a three-member panel of the American Arbitration Association-North American Court of Arbitration for Sport has recommended a one-year suspension for Scott Moninger, who tested positive for norandrolone after last year’s Saturn Classic.

Moninger will receive credit for the period of time that he was provisionally suspended, starting on October 6, 2002.

The former Mercury rider was able to demonstrate that the 19-norandrosterone positive had resulted from a contaminated food supplement, something which the panel was allowed to consider as a mitigating circumstance. Moniger was also disqualified from his third-place finish at the Saturn Classic and was fined 700 Swiss Francs, in accordance with UCI rules.

The 36-year-old Moninger told VeloNews Thursday that the decision was “inconclusive” as far as his future is concerned.

“I had hoped for six months, which would mean that I’d be back racing in a few months,” he said. “I had feared a two-year suspension, which at my age, would have meant that I would have to make some major decisions about my future and probable retirement. This is right in the middle. It looks like (the panel) didn’t want to make USADA angry and they didn’t want to hand down a decision that they knew I would appeal.”

Moninger said that he remains uncertain as to whether he will appeal that decision.

“I might,” he said. “At this point, I just don’t know at this point.”

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