Cycling: Sponsors are reconsidering their involvement in the sport after the series of doping scandals which have rocked the Tour de France.
The high-profile race is now without the Astana and Cofidis teams over doping affairs and recent leader Michael Rasmussen, who was sacked by Rabobank for having lied about his training whereabouts.
French company Cofidis, whose contract finishes at the end of the 2008 season, is unlikely to renew its deal with the cycling team after Italy's Cristian Moreni tested positive for testosterone following the 11th stage of the Tour.
"It can have serious consequences on the future of the team", team manager Eric Boyer said after Cofidis withdrew from the race.
Rabobank announced yesterday it was to reconsider its involvement in cycling.
"We always reconsider if something big is happening and this is big," said Helen Crielaard, head of sponsorship.
"We have to reconsider once we get all the facts. Maybe we will change the way we are involved. At this point there is no reason to just finish our sponsorship. But we cannot go on like this for 10 years if it doesn't get better."
German Patrik Sinkewitz's positive test for testosterone during a training camp in June prompted T Mobile to reflect on its sponsorship.
In Spain, many sponsors have long since left the sport. The regional governments of the Balearic islands, Illes Balears, and Valencia (Comunitat Valencianna) ended their links with cycling in the past two years.
Insurance firm Liberty Seguros, sportswear manufacturers Kelme, Spanish bank Banesto and the Spanish organisation for the blind ONCE have all withdrawn support.
But Francaise des Jeux president Christophe Blanchard-Dignac is to meet with executives of the companies involved in cycling to consolidate their involvement in the sport.
"We need sponsors with goodwill," Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said. Reuters