Spanish doping inquiry

Spain's cycling federation chief had doubts about doping suspects

Spain's cycling federation chief had doubts about doping
suspects

By MAR ROMAN, Associated Press Writer
June 28, 2006

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- The head of Spain's cycling federation
said he had "suspicions" for years about the doctors and team officials
caught up in a sweeping doping scandal that has rocked the sport ahead of
the Tour de France.

Fugencio Sanchez added that the allegations were one of the
"greatest crises" in the country's sporting history.




"We've had doubts. We had heard comments," Sanchez told The
Associated Press. "I always thought that this day had to come in order to
clear up those doubts."

Manolo Saiz, the former Liberty Seguros team director, and four
others were arrested in May when police seized steroids, hormones and the
endurance-boosting substance EPO at a Madrid doping clinic. Saiz was later
released and denies any involvement.

Athletes allegedly went to the clinic to have blood extracted
for doping purposes or to collect performance-enhancing drugs. Nearly 100
bags of frozen blood and equipment for treating blood were found, along with
documents on doping procedures performed on cyclists.

Liberty Seguros withdrew its sponsorship because of the
investigation, and Astana-Wurth took over the team and announced Saiz's
resignation earlier this month.

The Tour de France, which starts Saturday, urged the Astana
Wurth Team on Tuesday to pull out of the race. The team protested and will
have a hearing Thursday at Switzerland's Court of Arbitration for Sport with
a ruling expected a day later.

The scandal has since widened with unconfirmed reports that more
than 100 athletes -- including from other sports -- may have been given
illegal substances.

The two doctors arrested -- Jose Luis Merino and Eufemiano
Fuentes -- were charged with crimes against public health, while mountain
biker Alberto Leon was forbidden from leaving Spain. None are in jail and
all deny the accusations.

"I know all of these people. They have spent their lives in
Spanish cycling and all of them have an important career in cycling,"
Sanchez said. "I was always suspicious."

He said he became suspicious after doping allegations surfaced
in the 1998 Tour de France, and when Spanish rider Roberto Heras of Liberty
Seguros tested positive for EPO at last year's Spanish Vuelta -- Spain's
most important cycling race.

"The police operation was necessary. We had gone astray in
anti-doping issues in Spain," Sanchez said. "We had the duty to start
persecuting those frauds."

Leading Madrid daily El Pais reported on Sunday that police
investigations show at least 58 pro cyclists may have received banned
substances and blood transfusions in recent years -- including 15 members of
the former Liberty Seguros team. Police have declined to comment on the
case.

Only four cyclists -- all Spaniards -- have been identified by
El Pais, including Liberty Seguros riders Heras, Marcos Serrano and Angel
Vicioso. The fourth cyclist identified was Isidro Nozal.

The reports have also linked 1997 Tour de France winner Jan
Ullrich and American rider and Olympic gold medallist Tyler Hamilton. Both
cyclists have denied the accusations.

Blood doping is a procedure in which blood is extracted,
separated to find a concentration of oxygen-rich red blood cells, and
injected back into the athlete before competition to boost performance.

The technique is undetectable if using your own blood, but two
cyclists -- Hamilton and Phonak teammate Santi Perez of Spain -- tested
positive in September 2004 for transfusions using the blood of another
person.

Sanchez urged Spanish authorities to toughen the doping laws and
punish pro athletes and doctors who use or supply the banned substances.
Doping offenses are currently regarded as misdemeanors in Spain, but the
country's criminal code is expected to be toughened later this year.

"This is one of the greatest crises in Spanish sport," Sanchez
said. "We should defend sport to be clean, not just cycling."









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