Soapbox: Tainted steak? Give us a break

So, another Tour de France 'hero' has had his reputation shattered by a positive drug test after Alberto Contador's one-year suspension by the Spanish cycling federation.

In the wake of Floyd Landis, Marco Pantani, Michael Rasmussen, Alexandre Vinokourov and countless other big names that have been besmirched in the past, Contador's fall from grace comes as little surprise.

After all, the winner of three Tours de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana is far from a cleanskin when it comes to doping.

What is unbelievable is that he continues to attribute his positive test to the banned steroid clenbuterol to eating a tainted steak provided by a friend.

Surely, in a sport where one is the most high-profile name and on the verge of claiming another major title, Contador needed to be absolutely vigilant about consuming only 'safe' products.

That is, food prepared only by team chefs and supplements provided only by team doctors - not that either of those two precautions has a proven 100 per cent success rate in recent years.

But to expect an already sceptical cycling public - and a downright hostile general sports media - to swallow the excuse that a grilled T-bone proffered by a mate was the cause?

Give us a break, Alberto.

For those few who believe the Spanish champ deserves the benefit of the doubt, here's a litany of reasons that make it difficult to extend such leniency.

In 2006, his name was among the nine professional cyclists listed as persons of interest by Operation Puerto, a Spanish investigation into suspected doping activities led by Dr Eufemiano Fuentes. Although eventually cleared by the sport's governing body, he was barred from competing in Le Tour that year.

Undeterred, Contador returned to win the event in 2007 with Discovery Channel, inheriting the yellow jersey after disgraced Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen was banished from the race while leading in the final week.

Controversy followed 'El Pistolero' in 2008 when he moved to Astana. The entire team was barred from competing in the Tour de France after a series of positive tests the previous year, but Contador simply focused his energies on the Giro and the Vuelta, winning both.

He kept his nose relatively clean in 2009 and added a second Tour de France title to his collection, pipping seven-time champ and teammate Lance Armstrong as Astana dominated the race.

Contador went back to back in 2010 but it all came crashing down in September, when it was revealed he had tested positive in a drug test performed just four days from the end of Le Tour.

Sceptics would argue that simply by taking part in professional cycling, an athlete chooses to associate his name with a 'dirty' sport. Doubtless, the likes of Cadel Evans and Fabian Cancellara would vehemently disagree and rightly so.

But regardless of one's perception of professional cycling, Contador has flirted with his reputation more times than most.

Now he must pay a heavy price in the court of public opinion, no matter the outcome of his battle against his doping ban.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of BigPond Sport.