Why did this guy never get a two year ban? It seems pretty ridiculous that a guy that was caught doping and given a trial is still able to ride his bike and win Grand Tours. I don't understand it at all.
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Clemson Cycling said:Why did this guy never get a two year ban? It seems pretty ridiculous that a guy that was caught doping and given a trial is still able to ride his bike and win Grand Tours. I don't understand it at all.
Alejandro Valverde has been linked by documentary and DNA evidence to the Operación Puerto, a blood-doping affair which erupted in 2006 against doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and a number of accomplices. It uncovered doping products, bags of blood and code names that appeared to link top athletes, including 60 cyclists, to a highly-organized system of doping, which relied heavily on blood transfusions.
Valverde was not initially linked in the investigation, but internal documents from Madrid's Court 31 allegedly linked Valverde to confiscated blood via codes Valv, Piti and 18. In 2007 Valverde was banned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) from competing in the UCI Road World Championships in Stuttgart but Valverde was cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to compete at the championships. Richard Pound, World Anti-Doping Agency president, said the CAS decision didn’t mean that Valverde was no longer a suspect.
In early 2009 the Italian National Olympic Committee matched DNA samples taken from Valverde during a rest day in Italy of the 2008 Tour de France to blood seized in the Operación Puerto investigation. At a February 2009 appearance in front of the Olympic Committee, Valverde maintained his innocence and questioned the Italians' jurisdiction over this case. In May 2009, the Italian Olympic Committee suspended him from competition in Italy for 2 years, effectively barring him from the 2009 Tour de France, which detoured briefly onto Italian soil. Valverde filed an appeal against the Italian ban with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has a hearing scheduled for January 12-14, 2010. In a second hearing, scheduled for March 18-21, the UCI and WADA will contest the Spanish Cycling Federation's decision not to open a case against Valverde.
Susan Westemeyer said:When was he caught doping?
Susan
Nah!, wouldn't it be more like to the same degree as Ullrich and Basso, Blood bags found and matched???Hugh Januss said:Valverde has been "caught doping" to about the same degree that Lance has.
Trev_S said:Nah!, wouldn't it be more like to the same degree as Ullrich and Basso, Blood bags found and matched???
Hugh Januss said:Valverde has been "caught doping" to about the same degree that Lance has.
Clemson Cycling said:Why did this guy never get a two year ban? It seems pretty ridiculous that a guy that was caught doping and given a trial is still able to ride his bike and win Grand Tours. I don't understand it at all.
gingerwallaceafro said:How do you work that out?
Hugh Januss said:Well Valverde never actually tested positive, or admitted to doping on his hospital bed, or hired a known doping doc to be his coa........oh hang on scratch that last one.
usedtobefast said:every time i see your new avatar, i start laughing. doping indeed.
blackcat said:Define "is" "was" Alpe.
flicker said:how come ullrich, basso Di Lucca and vino were nailed but val-piti walked>
flicker said:how come ullrich, basso Di Lucca and vino were nailed but val-piti walked>