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Spanish doctor Fuentes convicted over cyclist doping | Spanish doctor Fuentes convicted over cyclist doping |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Spanish doctor accused of running one of the world's largest sports doping rings has received a one-year suspended sentence for endangering public health. | |
Eufemiano Fuentes was convicted over his role in supplying blood transfusions to professional cyclists. | |
He was charged under public health laws because doping was not illegal in Spain at the time. | He was charged under public health laws because doping was not illegal in Spain at the time. |
A former cycle team official was sentenced to four months in jail, while three other defendants were cleared. | A former cycle team official was sentenced to four months in jail, while three other defendants were cleared. |
Police found some 200 bags of frozen blood and plasma when they raided Fuentes' offices in 2006. | Police found some 200 bags of frozen blood and plasma when they raided Fuentes' offices in 2006. |
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and Spain's domestic authorities had wanted access to the blood, to test whether athletes from other sports were involved in the doping ring. | |
But Judge Julia Patricia Santamaria on Tuesday declined to grant them access and ordered that the bags be destroyed. | |
The Operation Puerto doping trial focused on cycling. Dozens of cyclists were implicated, though few have been sanctioned. | The Operation Puerto doping trial focused on cycling. Dozens of cyclists were implicated, though few have been sanctioned. |
As well as handing Fuentes the one year suspended sentence, the court in Madrid struck him off as a medical doctor for four years and fined 4,650 euros ($6,000: £3,940). | |
It sentenced Ignacio Labarta, a former official in the Kelme cycling team, to four months in prison. | It sentenced Ignacio Labarta, a former official in the Kelme cycling team, to four months in prison. |
Two other former cycling team officials, Manolo Saiz and Vicente Belda, were cleared, as was Fuentes' sister and fellow doctor Yolanda. | Two other former cycling team officials, Manolo Saiz and Vicente Belda, were cleared, as was Fuentes' sister and fellow doctor Yolanda. |
During the trial, Fuentes said he had worked with athletes, footballers and boxers, as well as cyclists, though he did not say whether he had helped them dope. | During the trial, Fuentes said he had worked with athletes, footballers and boxers, as well as cyclists, though he did not say whether he had helped them dope. |
The bags of blood found in Fuentes' offices were labelled with codenames, which were believed to relate to well-known cyclists and possibly other athletes. But the judge's ruling means authorities will not be able to establish this. | |
Fuentes maintained that the aim of the blood transfusions was to protect athletes' health and improve their performance during training. | Fuentes maintained that the aim of the blood transfusions was to protect athletes' health and improve their performance during training. |
Spain has passed anti-doping legislation since 2006, and parliament is expected to vote on an anti-doping bill later this year that would bring Spanish law into line with Wada's guidelines. | Spain has passed anti-doping legislation since 2006, and parliament is expected to vote on an anti-doping bill later this year that would bring Spanish law into line with Wada's guidelines. |