The BBC reports that: Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde has been summoned to appear before a prosecutor in Italy next week as part of an anti-doping inquiry. He is to be questioned after samples he gave at last year’s Tour de France matched DNA from files of Spain’s long-running Operation Puerto doping probe.
Later, Valverde said he had not heard from the Italian Olympic Committee’s (CONI) anti-doping prosecutor but insisted he would be happy to appear before CONI.
A Spanish court closed the Puerto investigation into a blood doping ring last year after concluding that no criminal offences had been committed, although Spanish media last month reported it could be reopened. Valverde, who topped the world rankings last year, took part in the 2007 World Championships despite world governing body the International Cycling Union (UCI) trying to prevent his participation because of his links to the Puerto affair. If found guilty of a doping offence, he could face a two-year ban.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7884562.stm
Kris is a Senior Lecturer, and Co-Director of the Centre for International Sports Law (CISL) at Staffordshire University, UK. He originally trained and competed as an elite gymnast until a shoulder injury at university forced him to retire as an active competitor. He now spends his spare time coaching Trampolining, Gymnastics, DMT, Cheerleading, Parkour and anything that involves throwing yourself through the air with various degrees of twist and rotation!
Jon is an Associate Professor, and Co-Director of the Centre for International Sports Law (CISL) at Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia. Jon worked as a climbing guide, trained and coordinated search and rescue, managed risk and sales in the United States with a European-based manufacturer of outdoor equipment and advised recreation programmes on their exposure to legal risk. His extra-curricular background is just as diverse and includes stints playing semi-pro volleyball in Brazil, researching wolves in the Canadian Rockies, climbing and leading expeditions from Alaska to Argentina, Tajikistan to the Tetons, and many points in between. He has been married to Wendy for 15 years and together they have 2 wonderful kids – Tegan (10) and Brock (8) – whom he continues to emotionally scar as their football coach!
February 12, 2009
Doping