<div><p>World sport's top court CAS on Monday rejected an appeal by disgraced German cyclist Stefan Schumacher against a two-year ban for doping, related to offences at the 2008 Tour de France.</p><p>Schumacher tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO CERA both at the Tour de France and Olympic Games in 2008. He was appealing against a ban handed down after offences at the Tour de France.</p><p>His claims that the testing procedures were not water-tight, however, were refuted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).</p><p>"The Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed the appeal filed by German cyclist Stefan Schumacher against the decision of the International Cycling Union to recognise the two-year suspension imposed by the French Anti-Doping Agency and to extend it worldwide," said the court in a statement.</p><p>The CAS brought forward the suspension to August 28, 2008 -- when the athlete effectively stopped racing since he could no longer get a licence -- instead of January 22, 2009, the date fixed by the International Cycling Union (UCI).</p><p>Schumacher was one of six athletes who, either during or after the 2008 Tour de France -- where he won two stages -- tested positive for the banned-blood booster erythropoietin (EPO) CERA.</p><p>Before his offence was even known, Schumacher competed at the Beijing Olympic Games in August 2008, where he was also caught using CERA.</p><p>He then fell victim to a decision by France's national anti-doping agency (AFLD) to retest samples from the Tour. In October 2008 he was told he had tested positive for CERA twice on the race.</p><p>It was not until February 2009 that cycling's ruling body, the UCI, handed the German a two-year ban from the sport.</p><p>Two months later Schumacher was informed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in April 2009, that he had also tested positive for CERA in Beijing.</p><p>The German denies ever being doped and on April 1 took his case to the CAS in Lausanne.</p><p>Speaking from Germany Monday an angry Schumacher said he would ultimately have to accept the decision.</p><p>"I'm angry. You always have to prepare for the worst but I find this hard to believe," he said.</p><p>"I'm a fighter, but I will just have to accept this decision."</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=67757180&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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