A member of the Spanish Civil Guard handles blood bags (Image credit: AFP)
Jörg Jaksche is expected to tell the world about doping in cycling and Operación Puerto on Monday. According to the AFP, the rider's lawyer Michael Lehner said Friday the German will reveal what he knows about doping to the weekly magazine Der Spiegel.
Jaksche "will not just admit to doping himself, but will shed light on what really goes on in the peloton, and who the main (doping) protagonists are," said Lehner according to the AFP. Lehner also said Jaksche would be open to serving as a witness for the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), the UCI and other authorities involved in the ongoing Puerto investigation.
Jaksche previously rode for Liberty Seguros under Manolo Saiz, and was linked to bags of blood associated with the Operación Puerto investigation by a code name "Bella Jorg" that allegedly referred to him.
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He was one of 13 racers prohibited from starting the 2006 Tour de France due to their connections with Operación Puerto. Spanish police had found bags of blood, illegal doping product, and names of cyclists in a raid of Eufemiano Fuentes' facilities in May of 2006.
In May of 2007, Jaksche was suspended from racing by his current team, Tinkoff, which he joined just one month earlier. Jaksche's move to reveal what he knows comes soon after the German Cycling Federation announced Thursday it would prohibit the racer from contesting the German national championships.
Jaksche has previously denied that he used performance-enhancing drugs or methods, but admitted that he was in contact with Fuentes. However, Jaksche has attributed the link to Fuente's ill child who could have benefited from contact with Jaksche's father, a renowned ophthalmologist. In a December interview with Cyclingnews, Jaksche said of his ties to Fuentes, "I have nothing to do with his alleged doping activities - if they are indeed true, which only the legal procedure can establish."
Jaksche has previously resisted the call to submit his DNA for testing. Attorney Lehner had put it this way: "Submitting a DNA sample would reverse the burden of proof on which our legal system is based on. The notion 'in dubio pro reo' [innocent until proven guilty – ED.] would be undermined. The law foresees that the prosecution must prove its accusations to be true - it is not for the accused to prove that he is innocent."
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Cyclingnews' recent coverage of 'Operación Puerto'
April 2, 2009 - Valverde indignant over possible suspension April 1, 2009 - Valverde: Italy requests two-year suspension March 13, 2009 - Le Monde newspaper hit with fine over Puerto allegations March 2, 2009 - WADA president Fahey asks for Puerto evidence February 24, 2009 - Spanish federation seeks access to Puerto blood bags February 20, 2009 - CONI considers Valverde case while UCI awaits verdict February 19, 2009 - Valverde under criminal investigation February 11, 2009 - Valverde summonsed for Operación Puerto in Italy February 8, 2009 - Eight charged in Operación Puerto
