Katusah refuses to extend Kolobnev’s contract

Russia’s 2008 road race Olympic bronze medallist Alexander Kolobnev was not offered a new contract by the Katusha team on Tuesday following his disqualification from this year’s Tour de France for a positive dope test.The team decided not to extend his contract for another year despite him receiving a light punishment from his national federation in October of a fine of $1700 and no suspension, contenting itself with a formal warning.Kolobnev, 30, tested positive on July 6 for a masking agent called hydrochlorothiazide that hides the presence of performance-enhancing drugs in the system. The Russian-sponsored Katusha pulled the two-time world road race silver medalist out of the race and later announced it was suspending him from the team.