Miguel Angel Lopez banned for 4 years

[sam6]

UCI statement concerning Miguel Ángel López

The Tribunal found Miguel Ángel López guilty of an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) for use and possession of a prohibited substance (Menotropin)*, concomitantly with the 2022 Giro d’Italia, and has imposed a four-year suspension on the rider.

In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the period of suspension started on 25 July 2023 and will remain in force until 24 July 2027.

 

[Elos Anjos]

That's a bigger crash.

View: https://youtu.be/Gu5jnNV9U_g?si=ztbx9asiAlqzPqN-

View: https://youtu.be/foPnGBy9iPc?si=LnDGa8Hq0OgPrKgm

 

[Nick2413]

Sacrificial lamb.

 

[Ripper]

Bad boys, bad boys

Someone is firmly on the naughty step now

 

[samhocking]

Not really a sacrifice, he walked straight into Spanish Guardia Civil & CELAD's hands himself.

 

[noob]

Menotropin (also called human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG) is a hormonally active medication for the treatment of fertility disturbances. Frequently the plural is used as the medication is a mixture of gonadotropins. Menotropins are extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women.[1]

From Wikipedia.
I always knew he was odd but I had no idea he was that into older women that he wanted to inject their pee to ovulate :O

Or in other very noob words; what does this drug even do for him? :O Does it warrant 5 years?!

Why is doping always so effing kinky?!

I thought he was coming back and now they'll killed him completely

 

[Nick2413]

At least we know cycling is clean now that they finally got the one bad apple.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Menotropin (also called human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG) is a hormonally active medication for the treatment of fertility disturbances. Frequently the plural is used as the medication is a mixture of gonadotropins. Menotropins are extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women.[1]

From Wikipedia.
I always knew he was odd but I had no idea he was that into older women that he wanted to inject their pee to ovulate :O

Or in other very noob words; what does this drug even do for him? :O Does it warrant 5 years?!

Why is doping always so effing kinky?!

I thought he was coming back and now they'll killed him completely

I believe it is used to stimulate testosterone production, usually to counter the suppressive nature of anabolic steroids.

 

[Mayomaniac]

The writing was on the wall when Astana of all teams terminated his contract.
Still, a 4 year ban without a positive test, his blood being found in some blood bags or a confession seems a bit unusual.
I don't know if you couldn't appeal this one at the TAS and get away.

Then again, we don't know how much evidence they got out of the Spanish investigation. If they have texts or recorded conversations about the incident at the Giro, then yeah...

 

[Unchained]

Menotropin (also called human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG) is a hormonally active medication for the treatment of fertility disturbances. Frequently the plural is used as the medication is a mixture of gonadotropins. Menotropins are extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women.[1]

From Wikipedia.
I always knew he was odd but I had no idea he was that into older women that he wanted to inject their pee to ovulate :O

Or in other very noob words; what does this drug even do for him? :O Does it warrant 5 years?!

Why is doping always so effing kinky?!

I thought he was coming back and now they'll killed him completely

Don't know if you have been around older gals but getting them to pee in cup doesn't sound like an easy outing!! Like to have a beer or two with a survivor of collecting post menopausal lady pee!! What you juggle rattle snakes for fun or do tiger tickling? You really want to win to go after urine tablets!!
I am looking to see if there is a website..

 

[Unchained]

At least we know cycling is clean now that they finally got the one bad apple.

So I get it, people are busy. 2022 Giro sample!! The real message is to or for the UCI and the Colombian Cycling Federation!! UCI needs to spend some time and money on problem federations. It's not discrimination if it's true!! Those dudes are not just drinking coffee!!
Glad they caught this one last guy,coast is clear.. Mission accomplished

 

[saunaking]

The writing was on the wall when Astana of all teams terminated his contract.
Still, a 4 year ban without a positive test, his blood being found in some blood bags or a confession seems a bit unusual.
I don't know if you couldn't appeal this one at the TAS and get away.

Then again, we don't know how much evidence they got out of the Spanish investigation. If they have texts or recorded conversations about the incident at the Giro, then yeah...

Mega bans for Latin American riders who wont have the resources to fight it? Why not? We are tough on doping!
White Anglo gets busted after winning Vuelta? Lawyers up and UCI backs off

 

[Nick2413]

Mega bans for Latin American riders who wont have the resources to fight it? Why not? We are tough on doping!
White Anglo gets busted after winning Vuelta? Lawyers up and UCI backs off

You’ve figured it out.

 

[sam6]

The most worrying thing about this is that he never failed a doping test. If they gave him a 4-year ban, they must have extremely damming evidence he was doping. But yet he never failed a test? What does that say about their testing system if he can dope and avoid it. It makes me think pretty much all the riders are doped

 

[samhocking]

The most worrying thing about this is that he never failed a doping test. If they gave him a 4-year ban, they must have extremely damming evidence he was doping. But yet he never failed a test? What does that say about their testing system if he can dope and avoid it. It makes me think pretty much all the riders are doped

It's a S2.2 substance, so 4 years, no way around that unless you do a deal to reduce the ban to 2 years. Because ITA states use and possession was concomitantly with the 2022 Giro d’Italia, they have either found it in a Lopez sample (unlikely given he hadn't finished in top 3 in the 4 stages he was there) or more likely the person administering it to Lopez at the Giro, a witness to it being adminstered or Astana staff were witness to it and that's where the 'use' evidence comes from / via the various ITA and Spanish Investigations working on the wider case. You don't have to have the substance detected inside you to ADRV, an AAF is only part of anti-doping sanctioning.

 

[sam6]

It's a S2.2 substance, so 4 years, no way around that unless you do a deal to reduce the ban to 2 years. Because ITA states use and possession was concomitantly with the 2022 Giro d’Italia, they have either found it in a Lopez sample (unlikely given he hadn't finished in top 3 in the 4 stages he was there) or more likely the person administering it to Lopez at the Giro, a witness to it being adminstered or Astana staff were witness to it and that's where the 'use' evidence comes from / via the various ITA and Spanish Investigations working on the wider case. You don't have to have the substance detected inside you to ADRV, an AAF is only part of anti-doping sanctioning.

You are missing my point in that I'm not denying he's guilty, but it's worrying that he is guilty and that's been proven but without a failed test. Doesn't this show the testing system is ineffective?

 

[Froome]

You are missing my point in that I'm not denying he's guilty, but it's worrying that he is guilty and that's been proven but without a failed test. Doesn't this show the testing system is ineffective?

Absolutely, and it looks so easy.

 

[Sciatic]

The most worrying thing about this is that he never failed a doping test. If they gave him a 4-year ban, they must have extremely damming evidence he was doping. But yet he never failed a test? What does that say about their testing system if he can dope and avoid it. It makes me think pretty much all the riders are doped

Well, not all riders manage to avoid it, so testing may reduce the intensity and types of doping, but we’re all familiar with most of the big “busts” (during or after careers) in cycling coming from police raids and investigations (Festina, Puerto the biggest) and court proceedings (Lance).

 

[Invicituz]

Lopez, a scapegoat extraordinaire.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

Mega bans for Latin American riders who wont have the resources to fight it? Why not? We are tough on doping!
White Anglo gets busted after winning Vuelta? Lawyers up and UCI backs off

Remember when they banned almost everyone who rode the 2017 Vuelta Costa Rica? Peloton became so clean that an honest 3rd-rate classics rider was able to win the following Tour de France.

 

[Rob5091]

You are missing my point in that I'm not denying he's guilty, but it's worrying that he is guilty and that's been proven but without a failed test. Doesn't this show the testing system is ineffective?

From what has been in the press it seems Lopez's masseur Vicente Belda Garcia was sent the menotropine by Dr Maynar for Lopez. Garcia had a doping plan from Dr Maynar for López on his phone and of course the Police took his phone. Plus text messages on when and what to give López so the "game was up". Of course Garcia claims he threw the stuff away, but the chat messages reveal what was going on.

see for a good round up of the sorry saga (in Spanish, but googling translation works well
https://www.ciclo21.com/operacion-ilex-maynar-superman-lopez-sancion-cuatro-anos/

 

[noob]

From what has been in the press it seems Lopez's masseur Vicente Belda Garcia was sent the menotropine by Dr Maynar for Lopez. Garcia had a doping plan from Dr Maynar for López on his phone and of course the Police took his phone. Plus text messages on when and what to give López so the "game was up". Of course Garcia claims he threw the stuff away, but the chat messages reveal what was going on.

see for a good round up of the sorry saga (in Spanish, but googling translation works well
https://www.ciclo21.com/operacion-ilex-maynar-superman-lopez-sancion-cuatro-anos/

Do I understand it correctly that since there's no proof of injecting the monotropin the court can't find him guilty, but since the UCI is above the law they can.

People claim the clinic forum is full of conspiracy theorists, but seriously UCI has zero incentive to catch anyone doping least it's already known to the public beforehand. It's in the design.

 

[sam6]

From what has been in the press it seems Lopez's masseur Vicente Belda Garcia was sent the menotropine by Dr Maynar for Lopez. Garcia had a doping plan from Dr Maynar for López on his phone and of course the Police took his phone. Plus text messages on when and what to give López so the "game was up". Of course Garcia claims he threw the stuff away, but the chat messages reveal what was going on.

see for a good round up of the sorry saga (in Spanish, but googling translation works well
https://www.ciclo21.com/operacion-ilex-maynar-superman-lopez-sancion-cuatro-anos/

Yeah, so he was clearly doping. I don't deny that. So why was it not showing up on in the tests? The tests clearly do not work, that is a big problem

 

[samhocking]

You are missing my point in that I'm not denying he's guilty, but it's worrying that he is guilty and that's been proven but without a failed test. Doesn't this show the testing system is ineffective?

In this case, I highly doubt he was tested at all, so the testing was ineffective in that not every rider is tested every day, but that wouldn't be practcal, so I would call it expected, rather than innefective. I would assume he took it early in the race and any level in his body wouldn't be detected by the time he would be finishing on the podium and so 100% chance he would be tested. I understand the substance can be used in various ways. ie benefits come later after use, not during use.

 

[Rob5091]

Do I understand it correctly that since there's no proof of injecting the monotropin the court can't find him guilty, but since the UCI is above the law they can.

People claim the clinic forum is full of conspiracy theorists, but seriously UCI has zero incentive to catch anyone doping least it's already known to the public beforehand. It's in the design.

In Spain it's not illegal to take a WADA banned substance (unlike Germany). UCI can stop López from partaking in UCI controlled races though as he broke UCI rules.