MADRID: International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid has sharply criticized a Spanish court’s decision to destroy bags of blood seized in a major doping case.
In an interview with sports daily Marca published Friday, the cycling chief said he disagreed with Judge Julia Patricia Santamaria’s ruling in one of the sporting world’s biggest doping scandals.
Last month, the judge sentenced Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes to a year in prison for endangering public health for his role in performing blood extractions and transfusions on high profile cyclists.
But she refused to give anti-doping bodies access to the 211 blood bags seized in 2006 in police raids on Fuentes’ properties as part of the so-called “Operation Puerto” investigation.
Instead, the judge ordered that the bags of blood, which could identify other sportspeople implicated in the scandal, be destroyed once any appeals have been exhausted.
“I couldn’t disagree more, and that’s why we have appealed,” McQuaid told the paper.
“The Spanish anti-doping authorities have to get to the bottom of exactly who were the owners of the bags, so that we can get rid of the cheats,” he added.
Asked what would happen if the blood bags were, indeed, destroyed, McQuaid said: “Then it will be a defeat for the fight against doping.” The destruction of the blood is under appeal by the ICU, the World Anti-Doping Agency, the Italian National Olympic Committee and Spanish prosecutors.
McQuaid said he was convinced Fuentes’ clients included people from sports other than just cycling.
During the trial, Fuentes said that he had worked with athletes from sports including football, tennis, athletics and boxing but did not name any names.
The ICU chief said he believed cycling was cleaning up its game.
“A culture of doping existed in the past, but I believe that now the sport is turning against this,” he said.
McQuaid, who is seeking a third term as leader of the UCI, defended his organization’s record in fighting doping but said there was still a long way for the sport to go before it could recover from the damage done by the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.
UCI boss slams ruling in Spain doping case
UCI boss slams ruling in Spain doping case
Inter continue Scudetto march after Champions League humbling
- Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan bounced back from Champions League elimination with Saturday’s 2-0 win over Genoa which continued their march toward the Serie A title.
Federico Dimarco’s brilliant volley just after the half-hour mark and Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty were enough for Inter to extend their already huge lead over AC Milan at the top of the table to 13 points.
Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto.
Inter, whose fans unloaded a collection of anti-Milan chants in anticipation of the derby, have dropped just two points in 15 league matches and have been a cut above the rest in Italy’s top flight this season.
Their domestic dominance comes in stark contrast to the humiliating manner in which they were dumped out of the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night.
A 5-2 aggregate defeat to the Norwegian minnows cast doubts over not just the quality of Cristian Chivu’s team but of Italian football as a whole.
There was plenty of quality in Dimarco’s opener however, the Italy full-back beautifully placing a first-time finish from a tight angle after exchanging passes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Little else happened in a humdrum encounter until Alex Amorim handled a cross from Luis Henrique, whose shot had been tipped onto the post just moments before.
Calhanoglu calmly stroked home the spot-kick on his return to action following niggling muscle problems which have caused him issues since before Christmas, sealing the points for Inter.
Big Rom back
Romelu Lukaku kept Napoli on course for a Champions League spot with a last-gasp winner in the champions’ 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Verona, the Belgium forward’s first goal of the season.
Lukaku forced home Giovane’s cross to snatch the win for third-placed Napoli with the last kick of the game at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
Napoli had looked like dropping points in northern Italy when Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro levelled Rasmus Hojlund’s early opener in the 65th minute.
But Lukaku, who only played his first game of the season in late January, gave Napoli a huge win with both Como and Atalanta pushing for a top-four placing.
“I was a dead player before coming here,” said Lukaku to DAZN.
“This season has been difficult, but we’ve got to aim high.”
Napoli’s title defense is all but over as they trail Inter by 14 points after an injury-ravaged season.
Napoli were missing key midfielders Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Anguissa on Saturday, as well as captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Verona, under interim coach Paolo Sammarco following the sacking of Paolo Zanetti earlier this month, are 10 points from safety after a 12th straight match without a win.
Como, who face Inter in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday, strolled to 3-1 victory over strugglers Lecce to continue their push for a first-ever qualification for European football.
Cesc Fabregas’s team are two points behind Roma, in fourth and Juventus’ opponents on Sunday, and five behind Napoli.
Como are also two points ahead of sixth-placed Juve who face Roma trying to stay in touch with the Champions League places after being eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition by Galatasaray on Wednesday.
