Alberto Contador during his press conference as he tries to explain how his urine sample became contaminated with clenbuterol (Image credit: AFP)

According to Spanish newspaper El Periódico, the Spanish cycling federation’s competitions committee that recently recommended a one-year ban on Alberto Contador after his positive test for clenbuterol is considering overturning the decision due to legal considerations.

The paper has reported that some members of the committee were convinced by the arguments made by Contador’s legal team that the three-time Tour de France winner had ingested clenbuterol by eating tainted meat. The committee's final decision was due February 9, but has not yet been officially announced.

The paper adds that the Spanish federation has said in its judgment on the case that Contador’s positive test was caused by “extenuating circumstances” and not by “negligence nor responsibility”, which has provided the Spaniard with the opportunity to launch a legal challenge against his ban.

According to El Periódico, the Spanish federation was convinced that Contador did not use a medical product containing clenbuterol, nor had he undergone a blood transfusion that contained the product, nor had he been microdosing with the product.

The paper suggests that Contador’s legal team will make a case for the ban being overturned due to the judgment that effectively states that his positive test was due to factors beyond his control. It also states that members of the federation’s competitions committee are ready to change their verdict of a year’s ban based on this argument.