Entire Brazilian team suspended after three doping positives

All riders from the Brazilian cycling team Funvic Soul Cycles-Carrefour have been suspended by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) after three riders failed drugs tests in a 12-month period.

The UCI announced last month that Colombian Ramiro Rincon Diaz and Brazilian João Marcelo Pereira Gaspar had both failed a test for banned blood-boosting substance continuous erythropoietin receptor activator (CERA).

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Both riders tested positive from samples collected during the Volta a Portugal event on July 27 2016, and have been provisionally suspended. Both riders can request that their B samples are also tested.

These two latest positives are added to the previous positive test for CERA of the team's Kleber Da Silva Ramos, meaning the Professional Continental level squad has registered three positive tests in a 12-month period.

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Under UCI anti-doping rules, the squad, which is stepping down from Professional Continental to Continental level in 2016, can be suspended for anything from 15 days to 12 months.

The UCI disciplinary commission decided on a suspension of 55 days, running from December 19 2016, to February 12 2017.