Valverde appeal rejected again

Spaniard Alejandro Valverde has lost his appeal to reverse his two-year ban imposed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The former world number one rider challenged the CAS decision in the Swiss Federal Court which today refused to overturn the verdict.

The Swiss Supreme Court turned down a similar appeal from Valverde last November as well as an earlier filing last April which it said was submitted too early, as the CAS had yet to render its final decision.

Valverde was suspended by the CAS last May following a lengthy appeal by the UCI and WADA who provided documents supporting their argument that the Spaniard was a client of Eufemiano Fuentes, the man behind a doping ring uncovered in Madrid as part of the 2006 Operación Puerto investigation by the Spanish Civil Guard.

He was allowed to keep his results prior to the ban, which was back-dated from January 1, 2010 through the end of 2011.

Valverde is the only Spanish rider to be punished as part of the case despite documents indicating that Fuentes had dozens of clients.

Italians Ivan Basso and Michele Scarponi admitted to their involvement with Fuentes and have served sporting bans.