Sports World Is Stunned At Spanish Judge’s Doping Decision

Written by: Staff on 2nd May 2013

Sports World Is Stunned At Spanish Judge’s Doping Decision

epa03665824 Andy Murray of Britain returns the ball to Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France during their second round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 17 April 2013. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER |

The decision to destroy all the evidence following the conclusion of Spain’s Operation Puerto investigation into blood doping has amazed millions of sports fans around the world and angered world no.3 Andy Murray.

Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes was handed a one year suspended jail sentence and banned from practicing sports medicine for four years by Madrid judge Julia Patricia Santamaria who then ruled that the 211 blood bags from 35 people taken as part of the seven-year investigation could not be analyzed by anti-doping authorities and must be discarded.

Citing Spanish privacy laws, Santamaria ordered that the evidence seized seven years ago when police raided Fuentes’ Madrid clinics should be destroyed. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) maintained it deplored the decision and Murray, determined that tennis should be viewed as a clean sport, echoed the sentiments. And the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced it was considering appealing the decision,

Fuentes was handed his suspended sentence for performing blood transfusions, often combined with banned substances, on top cyclists. He was found guilty of endangering public health, barred from medical practice in sports for four years and ordered to pay a fine of €4,650 ($US 6,125 or £3,920).

But Murray resorted to Twitter to voice his displeasure, saying: “Operacion Puerto case is beyond a joke… biggest cover up in sports history? Why would court order blood bags to be destroyed? ‘cover-up’.”

A lawyer representing the International Cycling Union governing body had said the Fuentes case had exposed “the biggest doping network the world has ever seen”.

In January Fuentes admitted he had worked with athletes from several other sports, including tennis as well as track and field, boxing and soccer.

Earlier this year Murray insisted it was essential that anyone who was involved should be named. The Scot said: “If one in 100 is doping then, in my eyes, that isn’t a clean sport and we need to do everything we can to ensure we have everyone that’s competing at the highest level and below is clean.

WADA director general David Howman said his organization hoped to pursue sanctions “against cheats who used Dr. Fuentes’ services” in other sports such as tennis.

“The decision to order the destruction of the blood bags is particularly disappointing and unsatisfactory for the whole anti-doping community,” Howman said in a statement, adding WADA is reviewing options with its Spanish legal advisors before the case’s May 17 appeals deadline.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Andy Murray, Dr. Eufemiano Fuente, Julia Patricia Santamaria, Spain’s Operation Puerto, Sports, tennis anti doping, Tennis News, World Anti-Doping Agency