| The
suspension of Ivan Basso, Jan Ullrich and Oscar Sevilla from the Tour
de France could be the tip of the iceberg, with more than 50 riders
implicated in a Spanish doping probe.
The
investigation centres on links between riders and a Spanish doctor,
Eufemiano Fuentes, after anabolic steroids, frozen blood and blood
transfusion equipment were discovered in raids by Spanish police.
The
affair is shaping up to be the biggest scandal to hit cycling since
the Festina affair in 1998.
HOW
THE STORY UNFOLDED
Spanish police launched Operation Puerta last year, their government
having previously announced it was determined to crack down on doping
in sport.
On 24 May, Liberty Seguros chief Manolo Saiz, Comunidad Valenciana
chief Jose Ignacio Labarta and Spanish doctors Eufemiano Fuentes
and Jose Luis Merino were arrested by Spain's Civil Guard. Liberty
Seguros then withdrew sponsorship from their team.
In the aftermath of the raids, T-Mobile's management asked all its
riders to sign written declarations stating that they were not involved
in any way.
Protesting his innocence, Labarta quit his post on 1 June, saying
he was "acting to avoid damaging the image of the team".
A
day later, Swiss team Phonak announced that they would not pick
Spain's Jose Enrique Gutierrez and Colombian Santiago Botero after
they were linked to Dr Fuentes in the Spanish media.
On
9 June, Saiz decided to step down as director of Astana-Wurth, who
had taken over sponsorship of the team formerly known as Liberty
Seguros.
Spanish
team Comunidad Valenciana had their invitation withdrawn by organisers
of the Tour on 13 June.
On
Tuesday, Ullrich was cleared to compete in the Tour after race organisers
ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) dismissed media allegations against
him. The German denied any wrong-doing.
On Friday, the ASO announced it was in possession of a list of more
than 50 riders involved in the doping probe after being handed a
37-page document by the Spanish Cycling Federation.
T-Mobile revealed the report showed that there was "clearly
contact" between Dr Fuentes and Ullrich, Sevilla and team manager
Rudy Pevenage and suspended all three.
CSC
rider Ivan Basso, joint favourite for the race with Ullrich, was
then excluded by ASO.
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