Cycling News Flash for June 29, 2006
Edited by Jeff Jones
More names released in Operación Puerto
Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile)
Photo ©: AFP
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Spanish newspaper El Pais has published more names among the
58 riders involved in Operación Puerto. The list, which comes from
the Spanish Civil Guard's official report on the doping probe, contains
several big names, and there is a strong possibility that the Tour de
France could be raced with a very different list of favourites.
Cyclingnews sources say that Spanish authorities have obtained
blood tests from last year's Tour and compared them to the names on this
list in order to confirm the matches to the blood found in the blood bags.
El Pais has alleged that Jan Ullrich, Roberto Heras, Oscar Sevilla,
Joseba Beloki, Santiago Botero, Santi Pérez, Tyler Hamilton, Quique Gutierrez
and Angel Edo are all mentioned in the 500 page report that will be delivered
to the Spanish Secretary of State for Sport, Jaime Lissavetsky. In addition,
Spanish radio Cadena Ser mentions that Ivan Basso, Francisco Mancebo,
while Dutch sources reported that Rabobank riders Denis Menchov and Juan-Antonio
Flecha are on the list, but these were subsequently denied. In total,
22 riders scheduled to take part in the Tour de France are on the list
of 58. All the riders questioned by journalists so far have denied any
involvement in the affair.
Lissavetsky will fly to Strasbourg on Friday to meet French counterpart
Jean-François Lamour to discuss the affair before the start of the Tour.
Ivan Basso (CSC)
Photo ©: AFP
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The names at the centre of the affair, which is being treated as a crime
against public health, as Spain hasn't got its anti-doping law in place
yet, are still the following five: Sports doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, haematologist
José Luis Merino Batres; directeur sportif of Comunidad Valenciana, Ignacio
Labarta; former team manager of Liberty Seguros, Manolo Saiz; and the
former mountain biker Alberto León.
Astana-Würth OK to race
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has given the Astana-Wurth team the
go-ahead to race in the Tour de France. "CAS has rejected the request
of ASO to stop the team Astana-Würth from starting the Tour de France,"
read the CAS official statement.
On June 26, ASO, the organisers of the Tour, had asked Active Bay, the
managing company of the Spanish squad, not to take part in its race. Both
parties took their case to CAS, which heard it today (June 29) in the
presence of ASO and Active Bay representatives.
CAS ruled that the team of Alexandre Vinokourov will be able to participate
in the race. Belgian judge Guido de Croock decided the matter, basing
his sentence on the fact that no official information on the team's links
to the doping network had yet been revealed.
May 18, 2009 - Valverde to start Catalunya
May 15, 2009 - Valverde not welcome in Denmark
May 14, 2009 - Spanish federation wants proof in Valverde case
May 13, 2009 - Spanish Olympic Committee defends Valverde
May 12, 2009 - Valverde responds to sanction
May 11, 2009 - Italian tribunal delivers Valverde two-year suspension
May 8, 2009 - Valverde case: Italian Olympic Committee defends Torri
May 7, 2009 - Valverde to take legal action against CONI prosecutor
May 5, 2009 - WADA and Spanish federation join CONI and UCI on Valverde
May 1, 2009 - International Cycling Union joins in on Valverde's hearing in Italy
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(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2006)
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