TAS 2007/O/1381 Real Federación Española de Ciclismo (RFEC) & Alejandro Valverde c. Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
CAS 2007/O/1381 RFEC & Alejandro Valverde vs UCI
Related cases:
- CAS 2007/A/1396 WADA & UCI vs Alejandro Valverde & RFEC
May 31, 2010 - CAS 2007/O/1381 RFEC & Alejandro Valverde vs UCI
September 26, 2007 - Swiss Federal Court 4A_234_2010 Alejandro Valverde vs CONI, WADA & UCI)
October 29, 2010 - Swiss Federal Court 4A_386_2010 Alejandro Valverde vs WADA, UCI & RFEC
January 3, 2011 - Swiss Federal Court 4A_420_2010 Alejandro Valverde vs WADA, UCI & RFEC
January 3, 2011 - Swiss Federal Court 4A_644_2009 Alejandro Valverde vs CONI, WADA & UCI
April 13, 2010
Operación Puerto is the code name of a Spanish Police operation against the doping network of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, started in May 2006, which showed the involvement of several cyclists.
In Fuentes' clinic in Madrid, documents and 186 blood bags were found belonging to professional athletes and marked with coded names, besides EPO, steroids, and growth hormone.
The Guardia Civil identified the identity of nearly 60 cyclists, however Valverde was not mentioned on the list of the Guaria Civil.
Media attention has focused on the small number of professional road cyclists named, however sportspeople from other disciplines including football and tennis have also been connected with the scandal. Fifteen had been acquitted by May 2007, while three had admitted doping or evidence of blood doping was found.
Based on the fact that Valverde’s name and involvement was mentionded in several documents in the dossier of Operación Puerto, the UCI ordered that Valverde could not participate in the championships in Stuttgart and requested the RFEC to initiate proceedings against Valverde.
Following deliberations the RFEC refused to initiatie proceedings against Valverde and decided to appeal the UCI decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The CAS Panel concludes on 26 september 2007 that the UCI decision for Valverde’s exclusion violated the rights of the Athlete. Therefore the UCI exclusion decision must be cancelled and Valverdes participation in the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart allowed.
