Paris, Oct 13 (THAINDIAN NEWS) French prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation and inquiry to examine used syringes found in medical waste containers during the Tour de France race. The eventual tour winner Alberto Contador and third-place Lance Armstrong rode with Team Astana, and many believe that Team Astana is under investigation by the French prosecutors.

The investigation was launched after the discovery of several suspicious used syringes in a waste bin container given by organizers to all the teams to collect their medical waste, the Paris prosecutors office said Tuesday, on the eve of the 2010 Tour course unveiling.

However, the office said it was not targeting or looking particularly at any specific team from this year’s tour, refuting a report by L’Equipe newspaper on Tuesday that said Astana was being investigated.

“Astana Cycling Team is surprised to read in the French press that the team is involved in an investigation by French prosecutors into doping,” Astana said in a statement.

According to L’Equipe, a forensic lab called Toxlab, which is responsible for determining the content of the syringes, will analyze the syringes.

“The Astana Cycling Team has nothing to hide, the riders use no forbidden substances,” Astana said. “The team is confident in the result of analyses performed or to be performed by a Parisian laboratory and is prepared to cooperate.” Lance Armstrong is a very big name in the cycling arena and many believe that his unblemished name till now, is being unnecessarily dragged into this investigation.

The drugs, which include treatments for diabetes, high blood pressure and convulsions suffered by manic-depressives are not banned by the race authorities but are “incongruous” in top-level athletes, said professor Michel Rieu last week.