UCI to appeal Puerto decision not to release blood bags for analysis

The UCI has announced that it will appeal against the decision taken by a Madrid court judge not to allow the evidence from the Operacion Puerto trial to be released for analysis, which could lead to the possible identification of the riders and other athletes allegedly involved.

The decision by the judge, Julia Santamaria, who oversaw the case, that the bags could not be analysed because of Spain’s privacy laws when she issued her verdict on the Puerto case was greeted with widespread dismay by anti-doping organisations world-wide.