Nathan O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Nathan O'Neill is a former Australia
n professional road racing cyclist.
in 1974. He began cycling in 1989, when he attended a 16 kilometre handicap race before school, following the suggestion by a friend. The race started at 6am and O'Neill won it. He went on to win numerous medals in the junior ranks at the Australian National Track Championships
. At the Junior UCI Track Cycling World Championships
in 1992, O'Neill won the bronze medal as part of the team pursuit squad. In 1995, he won the silver medal in the road time trial at the Oceania Cycling Championships whilst nursing a broken pelvis.
From 1 September 1999, he rode for the Navigare - Gaerne team as a trainee rider before turning professional for the team in 2000 at the age of 25, under new sponsors Panaria - Gaerne. He represented Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics
, finishing 19th in the individual time trial. He stayed with the same team for 2001–2002, under Panaria - Fiordo's sponsorship. O'Neill won the bronze medal in the individual time trial at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester
, United Kingdom
.
In 2003, O'Neill signed with the Saturn Cycling Team, 2004 for Colavita - Olive Oil, 2005 for Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
and finally for Health Net Pro Cycling Team
in 2006.
At the Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne
, Australia
, 21 March 2006, O'Neill won the Gold Medal
in the Time Trial
finishing in a time of 48:37.29.
He became the Australian National Time Trial Champion for the eighth time in January 2007, it was the fourth consecutive time.
. O'Neill received notification of this on 23 September 2007. Later, the B sample also tested positive, he admitted that he had used the medicine for the prescribed purpose out of competition. The drug is not banned for use out-of-competition, and O'Neill maintains that his error is due to a longer than expected clearance time for the drug, compounded by another supplement which increased his urinary pH that he was also taking in the days leading up to the event. On 6 November 2007, O'Neill was terminated by the Health Net Pro Cycling Team
.
On 13 June 2008 the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) ruled that O'Neill bore "no significant negligence" in registering a positive finding for Phentermine, and was given a 15 month suspension, from 12 August 2007 – 12 November 2008.
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
(ASADA), the World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA) and the UCI
jointly appealed to the CAS to increase the suspension period "on the grounds that the athlete had not demonstrated no significant fault or negligence". The CAS also stated that "Also of importance is the evidence from Mr O’Neill that he took the risk because he was of the view that without Phentermine he was not going to be competitive. Mr O’Neill therefore self-medicated with a view of gaining a competitive advantage." The suspension was extended to the maximum period of two years, due to come to end on 13 June 2010.
Note: The previous paragraph concerning Mr. O'Neill's suspension does not take into account time already served from the date the sample was taken until the date of the original CAS hearing on 13 June 2008. If Mr. O'Neill had raced beyond when the sample was taken, then the date of ineligibility would begin as soon as he finished competing, or when he was notified of the lab's finding. The difference being a week. O'Neill's last race he competed in was the Tour of Missouri, ending on 16 September 2007. O'Neill was officially notified on 21 September 2007. Read the official correspondence from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to Cycling Australia referencing the suspension here CAS letter to Cycling Australia dated 4 June 2009.
, Georgia
, in the United States
.
1996
1997
1998
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professional road racing cyclist.
Career
O'Neill was born in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1974. He began cycling in 1989, when he attended a 16 kilometre handicap race before school, following the suggestion by a friend. The race started at 6am and O'Neill won it. He went on to win numerous medals in the junior ranks at the Australian National Track Championships
Australian National Track Championships
The Australian National Track Championships are held annually and are composed of competitions of various track cycling disciplines across various age, gender and disability categories.-Senior:-Team Pursuit:-Team Sprint:-Madison:-Junior:...
. At the Junior UCI Track Cycling World Championships
UCI Track Cycling World Championships
The UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the set of world championship events for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling and are regulated by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
in 1992, O'Neill won the bronze medal as part of the team pursuit squad. In 1995, he won the silver medal in the road time trial at the Oceania Cycling Championships whilst nursing a broken pelvis.
From 1 September 1999, he rode for the Navigare - Gaerne team as a trainee rider before turning professional for the team in 2000 at the age of 25, under new sponsors Panaria - Gaerne. He represented Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Australia was the host nation for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Australian athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games.-Medalists:-Archery:...
, finishing 19th in the individual time trial. He stayed with the same team for 2001–2002, under Panaria - Fiordo's sponsorship. O'Neill won the bronze medal in the individual time trial at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
In 2003, O'Neill signed with the Saturn Cycling Team, 2004 for Colavita - Olive Oil, 2005 for Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
Navigators Insurance Cycling Team was an elite road bicycle racing cycling team in the United States. Navigators focuses on USA Cycling and UCI America Tour events...
and finally for Health Net Pro Cycling Team
Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis
Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis was run by Momentum Sports Group and based in the United States....
in 2006.
At the Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 21 March 2006, O'Neill won the Gold Medal
Gold Medal
Gold Medal is the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2004 on Atlantic Records. It was one of the first albums released in the DualDisc format, but was recalled due to a mastering error which resulted in the final track being partially omitted from the CD...
in the Time Trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
finishing in a time of 48:37.29.
He became the Australian National Time Trial Champion for the eighth time in January 2007, it was the fourth consecutive time.
Positive drug test
On 12 August 2007, at the Tour of Elk Grove, O'Neill provided a sample which tested positive for the appetite suppressant drug phenterminePhentermine
Phentermine, a contraction of "phenyl-tertiary-butylamine", is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class, chemically related to amphetamine. It is used medically as an appetite suppressant....
. O'Neill received notification of this on 23 September 2007. Later, the B sample also tested positive, he admitted that he had used the medicine for the prescribed purpose out of competition. The drug is not banned for use out-of-competition, and O'Neill maintains that his error is due to a longer than expected clearance time for the drug, compounded by another supplement which increased his urinary pH that he was also taking in the days leading up to the event. On 6 November 2007, O'Neill was terminated by the Health Net Pro Cycling Team
Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis
Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis was run by Momentum Sports Group and based in the United States....
.
On 13 June 2008 the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
(CAS) ruled that O'Neill bore "no significant negligence" in registering a positive finding for Phentermine, and was given a 15 month suspension, from 12 August 2007 – 12 November 2008.
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority is a government department tasked to protect Australia's sporting integrity through the elimination of doping....
(ASADA), the World Anti-Doping Agency
World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
(WADA) and the UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
jointly appealed to the CAS to increase the suspension period "on the grounds that the athlete had not demonstrated no significant fault or negligence". The CAS also stated that "Also of importance is the evidence from Mr O’Neill that he took the risk because he was of the view that without Phentermine he was not going to be competitive. Mr O’Neill therefore self-medicated with a view of gaining a competitive advantage." The suspension was extended to the maximum period of two years, due to come to end on 13 June 2010.
Note: The previous paragraph concerning Mr. O'Neill's suspension does not take into account time already served from the date the sample was taken until the date of the original CAS hearing on 13 June 2008. If Mr. O'Neill had raced beyond when the sample was taken, then the date of ineligibility would begin as soon as he finished competing, or when he was notified of the lab's finding. The difference being a week. O'Neill's last race he competed in was the Tour of Missouri, ending on 16 September 2007. O'Neill was officially notified on 21 September 2007. Read the official correspondence from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to Cycling Australia referencing the suspension here CAS letter to Cycling Australia dated 4 June 2009.
Personal life
O'Neill is married, and his wife Karen gave birth to their daughter, Lydia Elaine O’Neill in 2006. He suffered a broken hip, and was involved in a horrific interstate roll over crash in 2007. He currently lives in BraseltonBraselton, Georgia
Braselton is a town in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia, about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 7,511....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Major achievements
1994- 1st
Australian National Time Trial ChampionshipsAustralian National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe Australian National Time Trial Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event has been run concurrently with the Australian National Road Race Championships since 2002...
1996
- 1st Australian National Time Trial ChampionshipsAustralian National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe Australian National Time Trial Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event has been run concurrently with the Australian National Road Race Championships since 2002...
1997
- 1st, GP Industria Commercio e Artigianato Aglianese Internazionale
1998
- 1st Australian National Time Trial ChampionshipsAustralian National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe Australian National Time Trial Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event has been run concurrently with the Australian National Road Race Championships since 2002...
2000
- 1st, Stage 5, Tour of Sweden
2001
- 1st, Stage 10, Tour de Langkawi
2002
- 1st Australian National Time Trial ChampionshipsAustralian National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe Australian National Time Trial Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event has been run concurrently with the Australian National Road Race Championships since 2002...
- 3rd, Commonwealth GamesCycling at the 2002 Commonwealth GamesThe cycling competition at the 2002 Commonwealth Games involves three disciplines: mountain bike racing, road bicycle racing and track cycling. The track events were held at Manchester Velodrome.- Mountain biking:- Track:- Road:...
Men's Time Trial
2003
- 1st, Stage 1, Le Tour de Langkawi2003 Le Tour de LangkawiLe Tour de Langkawi 2003, held from 31 January to 9 February 2003, was the 8th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi, an annual cycling race named after its original starting point, near the Langkawi archipelago off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia....
+ overall leader for 7 days - 1st, Stage 2, Sea Otter ClassicSea Otter ClassicSea Otter Classic is a bicycling and outdoor life sports festival and trade show held on the former Fort Ord in Monterey, California since 1990. The classic is named in honor of the sea otter, an indigenous mammal which flourishes on the neighboring Pacific Coast.The Sea Otter Classic offers...
- 1st, Overall, Sea Otter ClassicSea Otter ClassicSea Otter Classic is a bicycling and outdoor life sports festival and trade show held on the former Fort Ord in Monterey, California since 1990. The classic is named in honor of the sea otter, an indigenous mammal which flourishes on the neighboring Pacific Coast.The Sea Otter Classic offers...
- 1st, ProloguePrologueA prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
, Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium.... - 1st, Stage 2, Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 1st, Mountains classification, Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 1st, Canadian Open Road Championships
2004
- 1st Australian National Time Trial ChampionshipsAustralian National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe Australian National Time Trial Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event has been run concurrently with the Australian National Road Race Championships since 2002...
2005
- 1st Australian National Time Trial ChampionshipsAustralian National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe Australian National Time Trial Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event has been run concurrently with the Australian National Road Race Championships since 2002...
- 1st, Overall, Grand Prix de Beauce
- 1st, Stage 4, Le Tour de Langkawi2005 Le Tour de LangkawiThe 2005 Le Tour de Langkawi was the 10th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi, taking place from January 28 to February 6, 2005.-Riders :-External links:*...
- 1st, Stage 4a (TT), Tour de Beauce
- 1st, Stage 3 (TT), Cascade Cycling Classic
2006
- 1st Australian National Time Trial ChampionshipsAustralian National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe Australian National Time Trial Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event has been run concurrently with the Australian National Road Race Championships since 2002...
- 1st, Commonwealth GamesCycling at the 2006 Commonwealth GamesThe Cycling at the 2006 Commonwealth Games was made up of three disciplines:*Track cycling*Road bicycle racing*Mountain bikingThe track cycling was held at the Vodafone Arena, the Time Trial took place on a course on the St Kilda Foreshore and Beach Road, and the State Mountain Bike Course,...
Men's Time Trial - 1st, Overall, Redlands Bicycle ClassicRedlands Bicycle ClassicThe Redlands Bicycle Classic is a cycling stage race located in Redlands, California, USA that has been held since 1985. It consists of two road races, a Individual Time Trial and a Criterium....
- 1st, Overall, Mt. Hood Cycling Classic
- 1st, Stage 4 (Bend Research Inc. - Arnold Market TTIndividual time trialAn individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
) – Cascade Cycling ClassicCascade Cycling ClassicThe Cascade Cycling Classic is the longest consecutively run elite road bicycle racing stage race in the United States . It takes place in the Central Oregon region and is based in Bend, Oregon. It is a regular fixture for most of North America's top cyclists and teams. In recent years the race has...
2007
- 1st Australian National Time Trial ChampionshipsAustralian National Time Trial ChampionshipsThe Australian National Time Trial Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event has been run concurrently with the Australian National Road Race Championships since 2002...
- 1st, Overall and Prologue ITT, Tour of the GilaTour of the GilaThe Tour of the Gila is a cycling stage race for both men and women located in New Mexico, USA. It is currently sponsored by the component maker SRAM. The "Gila" began in 1987....
See also
- List of doping cases in cycling
- List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences