Spain to pass on doping report to authorities

By Staff
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MADRID, June 30 (Reuters) Spain's sports minister Jaime Lissavetsky said he will send a copy of an investigation into a cycling doping ring to the sport's governing bodies so they can decide if any action needs to be taken.

The names of over 50 professional cyclists have been included in the report which was produced as a result of a series of raids carried out by Spain's Civil Guard in May.

''The report which refers to sportsmen will be sent to the Sports Council,'' Lissavetsky was quoted as saying in Spanish media today.

''We believe that the report mentions only cyclists and we will send a copy to the Spanish Cycling Federation who will then forward it to the International Cycling Union (UCI).

''With the Tour de France about to begin, it will be the UCI who will contact the race organisers.'' Lissavetsky explained that doping itself was not a criminal offence in Spain and said it was not clear if any cyclists named in the report would be called to appear before the investigating judge.

''The sportsmen cannot be held criminally responsible,'' he said. ''I do not know whether or not the judge will ask the cyclists that figure in the Civil Guard report to appear before him.'' He also said that he would consult legal advisors to see if he would be permitted to send a copy of the report to the French government without undermining the legal rights of the cyclists involved.

The Tour de France begins in Strasbourg on Saturday.

MORE SCANDAL The scandal erupted last month after the Spanish Civil Guard raided a number of addresses to find large quantities of anabolic steroids, laboratory equipment used for blood transfusions and more than 100 bags of frozen blood.

Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who has collaborated with a number of cycling teams, and Jose Luis Merino, the head of a clinical analysis laboratory, were released on bail after being questionned.

The assistant director of the Comunidad Valenciana cycling team Jose Ignacio Labarta and the sporting director of the former Liberty Seguros cycling team Manolo Saiz were also detained for questionning and then released.

Both men have since left their posts, while insurance giants Liberty Seguros withdrew their sponsorship of the team who have now changed their name to Astana-Wuerth.

Comunidad Valenciana have had their invitation to take part in the Tour withdrawn, but Astana-Wuerth have been allowed to participate after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

REUTERS PM PC1254

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