Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero believes there is "no legal reason'' to sanction Tour de France champion Alberto Contador over his positive doping test.

Contador was handed a proposed one-year ban by the Spanish cycling federation last month after testing positive for clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour. A final verdict is expected soon.

Zapatero says on the Spanish government's Twitter feed that "there's no legal reason to justify sanctioning Contador.''

Contador claims he unintentionally consumed the clenbuterol by eating contaminated meat and vows to appeal any ban. He stands to be stripped of his third Tour title if the ban is applied.