Cyclist admits doping

A positive drug detection test has caused cyclist Thomas Frei to admit taking banned substances.

The athlete has subsequently been dropped by BMC Racing Team, with president of the organisation Jim Ochowicz saying the 25-year-old owned up directly.

Frei was found to be taking banned blood booster erythropoietin (EPO).

Mr Ochowicz remarked: "The BMC Racing Team will now separate from Thomas Frei but thanks Thomas Frei for his honesty to [confessing] his failure."

He added that the sportsman "acted on his own" and is taking full responsibility for the incidents, without attempting to bring the rest of the team into disrepute.

According to VeloNation, the cyclist said he previously escaped drug detection through taking reduced doses over a long time and being properly hydrated.

Last month, Dutch competitor Thomas Dekker received a two-year ban after admitting to using EPO after traces of the drug were found in urine samples he gave in 2007.