Brandon Cattouse Handed Provisional Suspension after Failed Drug Test

Brandon Cattouse

Cycling has been big in the news this week as the upcoming elections for the Cycling Federation were announced to be postponed. Tonight, there is more news to report from the sport, but it’s nothing good. An elite Belizean cyclist is under provisional suspension tonight after his sample was found to be positive for recombinant human erythropoietin or EPO. Pending a result from the Central American Regional Anti-Doping Organization, Belize’s national organization has suspended Brandon Cattouse. This version of the drug is produced in particular to treat anemia in patients undergoing chemotherapy or for chronic kidney disease, but is more frequently found to be used as a performance-enhancing drug. The sample was taken following the Valentine’s Classic on February eleventh and tested at the U.C.L.A. reference lab. The son of Ray Cattouse and brother of former female Cross Country champion Kaya Cattouse, Brandon has been a long-time cycling contender and represented Belize internationally. There have been several cases of doping reported over the years, ranging from Byron Pope, Gregory Lovell and Quinton “The Baddest” Hamilton who have served suspensions, to a former Cross Country Cycling Classic champion, Guatemalan Miguel Perez. In 2007, four cyclists from the Santino’s team were briefly suspended after failing to show up for drug testing – these included Lovell, Giovanni Leslie, Mateo Cruz and Marlon Castillo. We hope to have more on this story later on.