The sports bodies were also unhappy with how Spanish authorities had conducted the case in its early stages, after the UCI publicly announced in September 2010 it had provisionally suspended Contador pending an investigation by Spain's cycling federation.
Contador was originally cleared last February by the Spanish tribunal, which rejected a recommendation to impose a one-year ban. Days earlier, then Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said on Twitter that there was no reason to punish the rider, who is idolized in his country.
"It is regrettable there was some political interference at the first instance process from Spain which inevitably led to the appeal," Fahey said Monday.
Contador could also face financial pain at world sport's highest court of appeal: CAS said it would rule later on a request by the UCI to fine him $3.25 million.
Armstrong and Contador combined to win nine of the 11 Tours from 1999-2009, but Schleck seems reluctant to take his place alongside them.
"There is no reason to be happy now," Schleck said in a statement issued by his team, RadioShack Nissan Trek. "First of all I feel sad for Alberto. I always believed in his innocence. I battled with Contador in that race and I lost."
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Dunbar reported from Geneva, Logothetis from Madrid.
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Paul Logothetis can be reached at: www.twitter.com/PaulLogoAP
Graham Dunbar can be reached at: www.twitter.com/gdunbarap
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.







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