MADRID, Spain (AP) — A Spanish court ordered the reopening of Operation Puerto, a widespread doping probe that has implicated some of cycling's biggest stars.
Spain's Provincial Court on Thursday decided to re-examine the case after investigative magistrate Antonio Serrano had closed it a year ago without issuing any indictments because Spain's new doping law was not in force when the case broke. The investigation will now likely be sent back to Serrano.
The probe started when Spanish police raided clinics in Madrid and Zaragoza in May 2006 and found bags of blood, blood transfusion equipment and anabolic steroids. More than 50 cyclists have been implicated.
At the heart of the case is sports doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who was arrested in Madrid along with several other people on suspicion of providing doping services to cyclists.
Several top riders have been linked to the case, including 2006 Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso and 1997 Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich, who were among nine riders excluded from the 2006 Tour on the eve of the race after being implicated in the scandal.
Basso was initially cleared of involvement, but his case was reopened after bags reportedly containing his blood were uncovered.
Last year's Tour champion Alberto Contador has also been linked to the case, but has denied involvement.
The case — along with several other doping scandals — has helped cast a shadow over the sport and both the International Cycling Union and the International Olympic Committee had criticized the decision to drop the probe.
IOC president Jacques Rogge has said he wants the case files to be made public to his organization and any other international federations that request it.
In March, a Spanish judge ruled that no doping crimes were committed in Operation Puerto under existing Spanish law. Spain has since passed legislation that carries prison terms for doping offenses.
Prosecutors appealed the ruling, arguing that doctors administering blood transfusions could have led to health problems for athletes and constituted criminal behavior
Spain's Provincial Court on Thursday decided to re-examine the case after investigative magistrate Antonio Serrano had closed it a year ago without issuing any indictments because Spain's new doping law was not in force when the case broke. The investigation will now likely be sent back to Serrano.
The probe started when Spanish police raided clinics in Madrid and Zaragoza in May 2006 and found bags of blood, blood transfusion equipment and anabolic steroids. More than 50 cyclists have been implicated.
At the heart of the case is sports doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who was arrested in Madrid along with several other people on suspicion of providing doping services to cyclists.
Several top riders have been linked to the case, including 2006 Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso and 1997 Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich, who were among nine riders excluded from the 2006 Tour on the eve of the race after being implicated in the scandal.
Basso was initially cleared of involvement, but his case was reopened after bags reportedly containing his blood were uncovered.
Last year's Tour champion Alberto Contador has also been linked to the case, but has denied involvement.
The case — along with several other doping scandals — has helped cast a shadow over the sport and both the International Cycling Union and the International Olympic Committee had criticized the decision to drop the probe.
IOC president Jacques Rogge has said he wants the case files to be made public to his organization and any other international federations that request it.
In March, a Spanish judge ruled that no doping crimes were committed in Operation Puerto under existing Spanish law. Spain has since passed legislation that carries prison terms for doping offenses.
Prosecutors appealed the ruling, arguing that doctors administering blood transfusions could have led to health problems for athletes and constituted criminal behavior
