CAS ban rules Valverde out of 2 Tour editions
Source: Agencies |
June 2, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ALEJANDRO Valverde will miss the next two editions of the Tour de France after the Spaniard was given a two-year ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday for violation of anti-doping rules.
CAS imposed the ban, backdated to start from January 1, after accepting evidence which linked the Tour of Spain champion to the Operation Puerto anti-doping investigation.
The decision followed an appeal launched by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Cycling Union back in 2007 against the Spanish cycling federation's failure to act against Valverde over findings from the investigation.
Valverde was unable to take part in last year's Tour de France because it passed through Italy, where he is already serving a two-year ban over the same case.
"In its decision, the CAS Panel found, by a majority, that it could use the evidence collected in the course of Operation Puerto for the purpose of CAS arbitration," said a CAS statement.
"The CAS panel also found, by a majority, that the scientific evidence ... was sufficient to conclude that Valverde committed an anti-doping rule violation, considering that Valverde's blood contained EPO, a prohibited substance."
However, CAS said that his results before January 1 would be allowed to stand.
"CAS considered that there was no evidence that any of the results obtained by Valverde prior to January 1, 2010, was through doping infraction and decided that the appellants' request to annul those results should be denied."
Valverde said he would appeal the ruling.
"CAS have recognized that all Valverde's victories have been achieved through fair play... he has never given a positive in a dope test. We consider the punishment totally unjust and illegal.
"For this reason we will appeal against it to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, the highest Swiss body, whose decisions can be appealed to European Court of Human Rights."
Operation Puerto was launched after raids in Madrid and Zaragoza, where police found large quantities of anabolic steroids, laboratory equipment used for blood transfusions and more than 200 bags of code-named blood, some of which were linked to leading cyclists.
Spain's Civil Guard listed more than 50 riders implicated in the affair.
CAS imposed the ban, backdated to start from January 1, after accepting evidence which linked the Tour of Spain champion to the Operation Puerto anti-doping investigation.
The decision followed an appeal launched by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Cycling Union back in 2007 against the Spanish cycling federation's failure to act against Valverde over findings from the investigation.
Valverde was unable to take part in last year's Tour de France because it passed through Italy, where he is already serving a two-year ban over the same case.
"In its decision, the CAS Panel found, by a majority, that it could use the evidence collected in the course of Operation Puerto for the purpose of CAS arbitration," said a CAS statement.
"The CAS panel also found, by a majority, that the scientific evidence ... was sufficient to conclude that Valverde committed an anti-doping rule violation, considering that Valverde's blood contained EPO, a prohibited substance."
However, CAS said that his results before January 1 would be allowed to stand.
"CAS considered that there was no evidence that any of the results obtained by Valverde prior to January 1, 2010, was through doping infraction and decided that the appellants' request to annul those results should be denied."
Valverde said he would appeal the ruling.
"CAS have recognized that all Valverde's victories have been achieved through fair play... he has never given a positive in a dope test. We consider the punishment totally unjust and illegal.
"For this reason we will appeal against it to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, the highest Swiss body, whose decisions can be appealed to European Court of Human Rights."
Operation Puerto was launched after raids in Madrid and Zaragoza, where police found large quantities of anabolic steroids, laboratory equipment used for blood transfusions and more than 200 bags of code-named blood, some of which were linked to leading cyclists.
Spain's Civil Guard listed more than 50 riders implicated in the affair.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
