Bernard Sainz, better known as the “Dr. Mabuse” was sentenced Thursday by the Court of Appeal in Paris to two years in prison.

At the first sentence in April 2008, the former trainer was found guilty of aiding and inciting the use of doping substances and illegal practice of medicine. But the court reduced the sentence length, which was then fixed to three years in prison to 18 months firm.

The judges did not follow the request of the prosecutor general who had requested three years imprisonment, with a mandatory sentence to exceed the 18 months.

M. Sainz, who portrays himself as a follower of alternative medicine. He immediately said he would lodge an appeal and possibly to the European Court of Human Rights.

“A page claims” (translated from French)
——————-
“It is a conviction that goes against the anti-doping (…) is to believe that everything will change when it changes nothing,” he complained after leaving the hearing.

“There are still prohibited substances that can not detect and punishing a homeopathic practitioner, my assessment is that does not want that alternative medicines introduce the world of sport when it would finally return to exercise this activity more natural than is the case now, “he added.

Asked about the lighter penalty trial that he said it was “not at all” relief. “Even if I had been acquitted, I considered waiting ten years for a decision made unavailable – Because I maintain that the facts are nonexistent – is unacceptable. ”

Mr. Sainz was arrested May 7, 1999 after ten months of investigation and wiretaps. He always made sure that the vials recovered from him did not contain banned substances.

Testimony of runners gathered during the investigation, like those of Philippe Gaumont French or Belgian Frank Vandenbroucke – died in October

2009 – described it as an “evil guru”, “a formidable dopeur” and document verbal agreements providing for a payment of 100,000 francs (15,000 euros) to 200,000 francs (30,000 euros) in case of victory.

The conviction on appeal of Mr. Sainz is a relief and bitterness at the same time (…) because it lasted for very long, “he told AFP lawyer French Cycling Federation, Paul Mauriac .

“It is a page of cycling accident which is being run,” he was still welcomed.