Colombian Rider Beats Doping Ban With Contaminated Meat Defense

Germán Darío Gómez Becerra is cleared to race again after contaminated meat was shown to have caused his positive test for the anabolic steroid boldenone, the International Testing Agency announced Friday.

In what’s a surprise outcome, the Colombian avoided a racing ban by arguing that contaminated meat was the source of his positive test in an unannounced, out-of-competition control on December 28, 2025.

He was provisionally suspended in January, but the ITA said its investigation established that meat he ate in Colombia was the source of the substance.

Gómez, 25, accepted an anti-doping rule violation, but the ITA found that he bore no fault or negligence.

The ITA did not impose a racing ban, and because officials collected the sample out of competition, there are no race results to disqualify, the ITA said.

Boldenone — a substance used in veterinary medicine and as a bulking agent which stimulates muscle growth and assists the recovery after strenuous effort — is banned at all times.

Gómez’s case was made by proving how it entered his body and why he could not reasonably have avoided it.

The decision remains open to appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Similar to Contador case, but different outcome

The case is similar to Alberto Contador’s clenbuterol case at the 2010 Tour de France, where he argued that contaminated meat explained his positive test, though the substances and evidence differed.

CAS ultimately rejected that explanation, ruling that a contaminated food supplement was more likely, but the Spanish star was banned anyway.

CAS imposed a two-year back-dated ban, and stripped him of his 2010 Tour title as well as the 2011 Giro d’Italia and other results.

For Gómez — who denied that he was doping and insisted he never cheated in his career — the contaminated meat explanation held up.

After nearly nine months under a cloud, the Polti VisitMalta rider is free to pin on a number again. The team, perhaps ironically, is partially owned by Contador.

The team provisionally suspended Gómez in January, and he has not raced since late 2025.

There was no immediate comment from Gómez or the team.