IOC, WADA slam Spain court ruling on doping
Source: AFP |
May 2, 2013, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE International Olympic Committee yesterday deplored a ruling by a Spanish court that bags of blood seized in a doping case be destroyed, preventing further probes into what has been described as the world's biggest doping network.
Over 200 bags of blood were seized from Eufemiano Fuentes, a sports doctor sentenced on Tuesday to a year in prison for performing blood transfusions on top cyclists, often combined with banned substances. Judge Julia Patricia Santamaria ordered the bags of blood and plasma to be destroyed once any appeals have been settled in a case known as Operation Puerto.
"It is unfortunate that the evidence used in this proceeding is not now being made available to anti-doping organizations to further the fight against doping," the International Olympic Committee said in a statement
"We unreservedly condemn the actions of anyone involved in providing athletes with an unfair advantage through doping."
Spain's State Anti-Doping Agency said it would appeal the ruling.
A lawyer representing the International Cycling Union governing body described the operation as "the biggest doping network the world has ever seen".
The World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman said access to the evidence was what originally motivated WADA's involvement in the case and the pursuit of sanctions "against the cheats who used Dr. Fuentes' services" in cycling and other sports.
"The decision to order the destruction of the blood bags is particularly disappointing and unsatisfactory for ... the whole anti-doping community," Howman said in a statement.
He said WADA was reviewing options with its Spanish legal advisers before the May 17 deadline for appeals in the case, and would not make any further comment until that date.
Spanish doctor Fuentes was convicted on Tuesday, barred from medical practice in sports for four years and ordered to pay a US$6,000 fine.
Over 200 bags of blood were seized from Eufemiano Fuentes, a sports doctor sentenced on Tuesday to a year in prison for performing blood transfusions on top cyclists, often combined with banned substances. Judge Julia Patricia Santamaria ordered the bags of blood and plasma to be destroyed once any appeals have been settled in a case known as Operation Puerto.
"It is unfortunate that the evidence used in this proceeding is not now being made available to anti-doping organizations to further the fight against doping," the International Olympic Committee said in a statement
"We unreservedly condemn the actions of anyone involved in providing athletes with an unfair advantage through doping."
Spain's State Anti-Doping Agency said it would appeal the ruling.
A lawyer representing the International Cycling Union governing body described the operation as "the biggest doping network the world has ever seen".
The World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman said access to the evidence was what originally motivated WADA's involvement in the case and the pursuit of sanctions "against the cheats who used Dr. Fuentes' services" in cycling and other sports.
"The decision to order the destruction of the blood bags is particularly disappointing and unsatisfactory for ... the whole anti-doping community," Howman said in a statement.
He said WADA was reviewing options with its Spanish legal advisers before the May 17 deadline for appeals in the case, and would not make any further comment until that date.
Spanish doctor Fuentes was convicted on Tuesday, barred from medical practice in sports for four years and ordered to pay a US$6,000 fine.
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