The International Cycling Union plans to ramp up its war on doping by introducing four-year bans for the most serious offences, president Pat McQuaid has revealed.
In an interview published on the website of Cycling News, McQuaid announced plans to double the UCI's maximum sanction in the wake of recent positives tests for Tour de France competitors Stefan Schumacher and Bernhard Kohl.
McQuaid added that he would introduce life bans if the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency allowed it.
"I have said before that I would like to see them out of the sport for good. That is purely on a personal level," he told the magazine.
"However, we are obliged to follow the world anti-doping code, and that is what the UCI will do. Currently the world anti-doping code gives a maximum two-year sanction in the case of a positive test."
"From January 1 there is a bit more flexibility in it, and we can go up to a four-year ban in the cases of something regarded as willful cheating."
"In these cases [Kohl and Schumacher], considering that these guys were given the product and then went and took it for the Tour de France, it would be very much classified as willful cheating. Next year a rider in that position would face a four-year ban."
McQuaid said he did not want Schumacher and Kohl to return to the sport, but admitted he could not interfere in the process before them.
"Of course, you have to bear in mind that these guys have to go through due process," he said.
"Once that process is finished and if they are proven guilty, I on a personal level - and probably everyone else in the cycling family - don't want to see them back in cycling again."
McQuaid's comments come in the wake of recent tests for CERA, a new strain of blood-booster EPO. Leonardo Piepoli, Schumacher and Kohl were all found to have used the substance, in addition to Riccardo Ricco who had previously been caught.