The trickle of cycling confessionals have recently became a deluge as the spigot is turned loose. Now it is Bjarne Riis confessing that he used doping substances to win the Tour De France in 1996. Erik Zabel, Floyd Landis, and Ivan Basso, have already confessed to using banned substances like EPO to improve performances.
Spain has been notorious as a paradise for providing athletes with performance enhancing drugs. Dr Eufemanio Fuentes, the physician responsible for the doping scandal was arrested for providing Jan Ullrich, the German cyclist with EPO. Fuentes and his partner in crime, Jose Luis Batres, were the targets of Spanish investigators conducting a wide sweep of these rogue practitioners under Operation Puerto. The doping scandal was confined mostly to cyclists but on December 8th, A Le Monde correspondent in an article wrote that documents revealed Dr Fuentes had also provided his services to four big Spanish soccer clubs including Barca and Real Madrid. He later denied ever making those allegations.
Le Monde is being sued for defamation and false statements by Real Madrid and has been joined by Barca
Mmmm.... that might explain why Beckham is playing better. Just kidding.
Shourin,
Floyd Landis has not admitted to taking any PED's. He has steadfastly denied this and his hearing was made public for the first time since the USADA has allowed for this to happen.
The accuracy of the results of the testing are in question. For more info, check out www.trustbut.blogspot.com for all the information you would like to know on this case.
Cal