GENEVA, Nov 9, 2009 (AFP) – The Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) said on Monday that it had postponed a hearing into Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde’s appeal against a doping ban that sidelined him from this year’s Tour de France. The hearing into the two year suspension on Italian soil imposed by the Italian national Olympic committee (CONI) had been scheduled for November … [Read more...]
No Tour de France For Valverde
June 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
PARIS, June 23, 2009 (AFP) - Controversial Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde will not take part in this year's Tour de France, his Caisse d'Epargne team announced on Tuesday. His absence removes a potentially embarrassing stand-off as the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) last month banned Valverde from racing in Italy for two years due to his alleged involvement in the Operation Puerto blood … [Read more...]
Valverde Appeals To CAS Over Doping Ban
June 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
GENEVA, June 19, 2009 (AFP) - Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde has appealed against a doping ban imposed by Italian authorities last month, world sport's top court said on Friday. The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) last month banned Valverde from racing in Italy for two years due to his alleged involvement in the Operation Puerto blood doping scandal, thereby ruling him out of the Tour … [Read more...]
Cycling Chiefs To Name Latest Cheats, Threaten Sanctions
June 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment
by Justin Davis PARIS, June 10, 2009 (AFP) - The International Cycling Union (UCI) said several riders currently under suspicion of doping will be named publicly next week, and will subsequently face sanctions. UCI chief Pat McQuaid, here Wednesday to announce plans for the fight against doping at next month's Tour de France, would not give any details on the riders involved. … [Read more...]
Valverde Rails At ‘Injustice’ After Catalonia Win
May 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment
MADRID, May 24, 2009 (AFP) - Spain's Alejandro Valverde vowed to put his doping worries behind him after winning the 89th edition of the Tour of Catalonia on Sunday. The 29-year-old Caisse d'Epargne rider was recently banned from competing in Italy for two years by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) after he was implicated in the Operation Puerto doping scandal. The decision, which … [Read more...]
‘Thanks, but no thanks’, Danes tell Valverde
May 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
COPENHAGEN, May 14, 2009 (AFP) - Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde, who has been banned from racing in Italy after being implicated in the Operation Puerto doping scandal, was on Thursday told that he was also not welcome in Denmark. Valverde "will not be welcome on the Tour of Denmark if he wished to take part", race director Jesper Worre told Danish news agency Ritzau. "His two-year … [Read more...]
Valverde Banned From Racing In Italy For Two Years
May 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment
ROME, May 11, 2009 (AFP) - T- The anti-doping tribunal of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Monday suspended Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde from competing on Italian soil for two years, the Ansa news agency announced. Valverde, who was not present at the hearing, was punished for his role in the Operation Puerto blood doping scandal. The 29-year-old Spaniard can therefore not … [Read more...]
Spanish Judge Blocks Release Of Valverde Samples From Doping Affair
April 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment
MADRID, April 18, 2009 (AFP) - The Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) said Saturday a judge has again refused to hand over blood samples that could prove whether Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde is guilty of doping. The federation said it was in "total and absolute disagreement" with the ruling by Judge Antonio Serrano and said it planned to appeal the decision. The RFEC wants access to … [Read more...]
Operation Puerto – Blood Sample Is Valverde’s, Say CONI
February 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
by Barnaby Chesterman ROME, Feb 19, 2009 (AFP) - Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) anti-doping prosecutor Ettore Torri said on Thursday that a blood sample found in the laboratory central to the Operation Puerto scandal belongs to Alejandro Valverde. Torri made his claim following a hearing attended by the Spanish Caisse d'Epargne rider at Coni's headquarters in Rome on Thursday. … [Read more...]
Coni Describes Spanish Court’s Valverde Objections As “Groundless”
February 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment
ROME, Feb 18, 2009 (AFP) - Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde's appearance before the Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) to face doping charges has been kept for Thursday after describing a Spanish court's objections to the proceedings as "groundless." Valverde's summons in Rome to question the rider has been kept for 1600GMT on Thursday, Coni said in a Wednesday statement, because of separate, … [Read more...]