Eugenio Bermudez, the secretary general of the Spanish Cycling Federation, was acquitted earlier this week of leaking information from the Operación Puerto investigation, AS reported Wednesday. The decision ends a lawsuit brought by members of the 2006 Liberty Seguros/Astana Wurth squad Aitor and Unai Osa, David Etxebarria, Giampaolo Caruso, Isidro Nozal, Joseba Beloki, Javier Ramirez Abeja, Allan Davis and Jörg Jaksche.
The riders of the then Liberty Seguros team were banned from the 2006 Tour de France after the Operación Puerto case erupted with the arrest of its directeur sportif Manolo Saiz and four other people in May, 2006. The authorities raided the clinic of Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes, uncovering hundreds of bags of stored blood and transfusion equipment along with performance enhancing drugs.
The judge also backed former Spanish Superior Council of Sports director general Rafael Blanco, who was accused by former Liberty Seguros manager Manuel Saiz of "prevarication, falsification of documents and revealing secrets."
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
