UCI finds no wrongdoing in Henao’s bio passport inquiry

The UCI has determined there is “no basis to proceed further” in Sergio Henao’s biological passport case.

The Sky rider was sidelined in April after questions arose regarding his biological passport readings. After investigating the matter, the UCI said Tuesday the Colombian climber has essentially done nothing wrong.

“As per the applicable [Athlete Biological Passport] regulations, the rider’s explanations were sent to the [Athlete Passport Management Unit] experts for review,” the UCI said in a statement. “After examination, the independent experts came to the conclusion that there was no basis to proceed further.

“In light of the confidential nature of the information concerned, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) are not in a position to comment further.”

Sky officials said last month Henao was contacted by CADF officials over blood and urine values taken between August 2011 and June 2015. In 2014, Sky voluntarily pulled the 28-year-old from competition because its in-house experts “had questions about Sergio’s out-of-competition control tests at altitude.”

“We recognize why the CADF have raised this issue as it is one we have obviously raised ourselves,” team principal Dave Brailsford said in a statement last month. “Thus far, Sergio’s data has been anonymous to the CADF experts. We hope and believe they will reach the same conclusions when they consider the background and all the evidence over the coming weeks.”

Sky was quick to point out this was not an anti-doping positive, and that the team voluntarily pulled Henao out of Flèche Wallonne, adding that living at altitude in Colombia may have created odd readings.

“The physiology of ‘altitude natives’ is a complex area,” Brailsford added.