Operation Puerto, Again: CONI Opens Investigation on Valverde
by Jen See on Feb 11, 2009 11:14 AM EST
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Operation Puerto lives on and on. Today, the Italian anti-doping authorities announced that they have opened a formal investigation of Alejandro Valverde. CONI claims to have proof that Valverde corresponds with the Valv-Piti nickname found in the Fuentes files. Reportedly, the evidence comes from a DNA match between a blood sample taken during last year's Tour de France and the stored blood bag in Spain labelled with Valverde's alleged codename.
The 2008 Tour de France briefly passed into Italian territory during the sixteenth stage which finished at Prato Nevoso. On the evening after that stage, Italian anti-doping authorities carried out a number of out of competition tests, including Valverde and five CSC riders. CONI reportedly used the blood test from Valverde to carry out a DNA test against the Fuentes evidence. On the basis of this new evidence, they have decided to open an investigation against the Spanish rider.
According to CONI, Valverde has violated section 2.2 of the WADA code, "use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or method." Note that a ride need not actually use blood doping to violate the WADA code, but only "attempt" to use. The Basso case provide the precedent in this context. If CONI can prove its case, the violation carries a two year suspension.
In Italy, the Valverde case has never sat well. While Italian star Ivan Basso sat out for two years after conviction in the Puerto case, Valverde continued to win races. Few in Italy believed that Valverde was innocent in the Puerto case. The Spanish authorities have all along proved slow to act on the Puerto evidence. So, too, has the UCI. It remains to be seen whether CONI can prove its case against Valverde, or indeed, whether the UCI and Spanish Federation will recognize a suspension handed down by CONI. The case of Manuel Beltran offers reason for doubt, though the WADA and UCI rules are clear that a suspension by one is a suspension by all.
Source, Gazzetta dello Sport.
Update: Valverde has issued a statement in response to the Gazzetta report that CONI has called him for a hearing. He said he is "willing to cooperate," but is "surprised and indignant" to hear of the investigation through the press. According to the statement, neither the rider nor his team had received official word from CONI as of today. Valverde also denied having returned any "abnormal" test values. The Murcian also reminded the press that since the Puerto investigation began, he has repeatedly declared his willingness to offer samples for comparison to the Spanish evidence, if a "competent authority" requested it. Valverde is currently racing in Mallorca, where he suffered a crash "without grave consequences" in Tuesday's stage.
Neither the Spanish judiciary nor the Spanish Federation has ever requested additional samples or sought to compare the DNA of the accused riders with the existing evidence. According to Gazzetta, CONI has now done so, and discovered a match between Valverde and the Valv-Piti blood bag, which contained not only blood cells, but also traces of EPO. If CONI can make its case - and they might want to start by notifying the rider officially - the violation carries a two year suspension.
Source, as.com.
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On what basis?
I wonder… from 2005?
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 11, 2009 11:19 AM EST reply actions
On what basis?
Are people here burying their collective heads in the sand when it come to their favorite riders?
Puh-leeze!
My prediction? When CONI puts the screws to him and make him provide DNA, he will undoubtedly, first try to hide behind his lawyer and when that doesn’t work, he’ll pull a hald confession like Basso did and say he intended to dope, but didn’t.
No vemos en dos anos, Piti!!!
Racing for Victory and Free Beer!
Also read story at....tuttobiciweb
Hmmmm…it reads more like a fishing expedition. The targeted July 21st testing was done by the race organizers….soooo what authority does CONI have over those results? This is not about the test last year. It’s all about OP.
then why wait until Feb to announce results?
if they were positive he would have been kicked out of the race immediately
They weren't positive
CONI used that sample to do a DNA match on the Spanish evidence – the claim is that they’ve proved that the Valv-Piti blood bag belongs to Valverde.
I'm too lazy to check...........
How the h*** did CONI get access to DNA from Puerto- bloodbags? Did they get samples on everyone when they went after Basso? I thought the whole basis of the UCI complaints against spanish authorities was their unwillingness to hand over blood evidence.
My understanding is...
That there has been some high-level government type chatting involved in the Puerto case from the Italian end. A government request of this type carries much more weight than the request – if in fact any such request ever came – from an org like the UCI.
Revenge
for the PKs at the Euro.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 11, 2009 6:54 PM EST up reply actions
Why is CONI so happily trying to bring down the sport
get over it, Basso got suspended and Valverde has become the best overall rider in the word. Stop trying to re-open things that happened in the past so we can move on towards a better future. Just like the A-Rod case in baseball, he took roids in 03, it shouldn’t even be a discussion anymore, the past is the past and there’s no time to live in it, so fuck off CONI!
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
I am so conflicted about this.
On the one hand, what Phil said. It’s been almost 3 years since Puerto hit, and some of the evidence collected went back to at least 2003, if I remember correctly. So part of me says catch the current cheaters and let any who have been scared straight go.
BUT: is it fair that Basso sat out his suspension while Valverde got to ride? I can see the Italians (or anyone of the same mind) being pissed. Shouldn’t everyone who was equally guilty get equal punishment?
I honestly don’t know the answer. All I know is: the whole thing sucks.
Google is my domestique.
And once a doper, always a...
And it’s hypocretic to let him ride if he doped.. That’s saying.. You can dope if you can assure they can not get you the first 2 years.. Not a good statement to the dopers or how wants to
Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.
No, it might not be fair
but now Basso is back so the Italians should enjoy him these next few years. But that’s happened and you can’t go back now and un suspend Basso. Valverde has kept winning over the last years, and presumbly clean, so he’s a natural super talent. I think Basso would want this just to get over with as well, he’s happy now and excited to be riding again, so the Italians should be happy and excited for this year as well IMO. This case could really hurt cycling even more and that’s why I’m so angry about the case. The year has started, everyone is excited and now CONI wants to stir up some old shit again, just because they are mad that it was unfair. They could also test the Giro samples for CERA and find out that 4 or 5 more Italians doped, but they aren’t very keen on doing that are they.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
"presumably clean"
Whoof . . . there’s a lotta presuming going on with that one.
How about: “presumably clean (or at least non-detectable) whilst racing outside of Spain”?
I presume he's been clean these last 2 years
just as I presume Contador has been clean for his 3 GT wins. I will always have a little bit of doubt but I try not to immediately call a great performance a “dirty performance”. Every sport has it’s freakishly talented athletes and I believe Valverde is one of those in cycling.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
The problem with that is...
they should have prosecuted this three years ago when it came to light, but the Spanish have done nothing but throw up roadblocks, while insisiting that all Spanish riders were clean.
It’s time to pay the piper and the piper doesn’t mind waiting several years for payment!!!
Racing for Victory and Free Beer!
And wow, what an unfortunate coincidence that they bring it up now
just as the season is about to start. Now, that’s just bad luck. Who would’a thunk it?
VDS list:
Valverde
….
On the second hand..
…
All Spanish riders
Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.
Yes, some things have become easier because of this...!
But to explode everywhere at the start of the season is major suckage.
True.. I have handed my list in 2 weeks ago but as far as I can see..
My cyclist are pretty safe.. D’uh.. Else I’m not gonna take them (But I have some Spanish riders.. Not to hard to guess which Spanisch Pearl I have, 2 favorites of mine and one rider how could be get busted if they re-open the case OP.. SDV ahum)
Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.
yep, good timing
for them to wait til just 2 weeks before VDS teams are due – another mass exodus away from valv.piti because of the several years shadow of OP
Random vaguely related fact
The 2009 Tour de France will pass into Italy again.
During Stage 16. Entering Italy about 8000 feet is the Italian border at the top of Col du Grand Saint Bernard. And there is a police / customs booth there.
(the stage starts in Switzerland and ends in France)
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
Italian Customs really don't care
A few years back the Giro started in Greece. Everyone was then booked on to an overnight ferry back to Italy to continue the race. CONI decided that that would be a good point to have a drugs raid, just as everyone rolled off the ramp. But this being Italy, someone somewhere tipped off the teams, but rather than ditching their dope, or even doing a Hunter S. Thompson, they decided to send half the team cars round by road through the Balkans. Obviously not scared of passing Customs.
I didn't mean it in a cynical way...
…and can’t help but think of that very bad moment for Astana at Mallorca one year ago.
Incidentally
It’s not just blood doping they can nail Valverde for if the DNA does match. The Valv.piti blood also contained EPO.
Google is my domestique.
Good for CONI!
I like Valverde. He’s been a favorite of mine since his spectacular stage win at Sierra de la Pandera in the 2003 Vuelta, and he’s easily one of my top ten favorite active riders. I would take no joy in seeing him brought down. But you either want doping out of the sport or you don’t, and I want it out.
The statute of limitations for doping offenses is eight years, not two years, and I think that’s a good thing.
CONI stands head and shoulders above any other anti-doping authority in attempting to clean up the sport of cycling. They have not hestitated to go after the biggest Italian stars — Basso, Petacchi, DiLuca, Ricco — and maybe with this move, they can embarass the ostrich-like Spanish authorities into finally taking some action on Operation Puerto.
+1
It’s not fair that Tifosa is always the smartest person on this site AND she has Giro-tickets.
I know my limits but perhaps I could at least get the Giro-tickets?
lol
Thanks for the lovely compliment, Jens, but no amount of flattery will get me to release my grip on those Giro tickets.
Nice try, though.
by Susie Hartigan on Feb 11, 2009 4:18 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed
and on a sort of linked story, Tuttobiciweb reckon that WADA think they are doing a good job too, and as a sort of reward have agreed not to take Sella’s one year suspension to TAS. The linking of the two sounds a bit odd to me, but cycling’s been full of puzzling stories this week so what is one more.
Didn't the UCI try to prevent
Valv.piti from racing the worlds in -07 because of the OP, and CAS ruled in Valv’s favor just days before the race? Iirc Davis had a similar case?
What a mess and an awful timing.
Valverde "surprised and indignant"
The Murcian Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) was “surprised and outraged” with the information appearing today in the Italian media…According to this information, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) said it would have to Valverde to state the matter for next February 16 in Rome, but the rider Murcian denies it has received notice.
“Neither I nor my team we have received notice to appear before the CONI or any other body,” said Valverde in a statement.
source: ElEconomista.es
Google is my domestique.
He's probably screening his calls from Italy
He got sick of Cunego calling every day pleading “pleeeease can’t you skip L-B-L this year, can’t you please, pretty please……c’mon.”
Hmm, doesn't sound very tranquilo
He’s obviously new to this CONI game.
by Susie Hartigan on Feb 11, 2009 4:19 PM EST up reply actions
indeed
though that won’t save him from the two year vacation.
wonder if CONI can make this one stick. they haven’t really been prone to lost cause windmill tilting lately. quite intriguing this new move in the game.
The x-factor is where they got the Puerto-blood to compare with?
It’s dicey with a google translated statement but the Valverde-camp seem to wonder this also.
si
I read the “competent authorities” point in the press statement as a kind of “who are you to be comparing blood samples” toward CONI. I suspect that will be a key aspect of the lawyer’s angle is the competency of CONI. I know in the Basso case there were formal requests from the Italian government for access to evidence, and in both the Basso and Scarponi cases, CONI had evidence from Spain. The Italians have linked up CONI with the criminal justice system in Italy and there is supposed to be full cooperation. I’m guessing it’s through those channels – the government and criminal justice channels that the Italians received the Puerto evidence.
I don’t have any good links on these issues at all. It’s all been mentioned along the way often in passing. But that’s my understanding of how the Italians have been going after the Puerto cases. Hard to know for sure, of course, because there’s been no more information just yet from Italy. Perhaps Capodacqua will help us out soon.
But the Spanish criminal justice channels
surely came to the conclusion that blood doping wasn’t illegal when Puerto happened didn’t they? If that’s the case then handing the bags over would be a bit of an about turn, no?
In Spain yes.
In Spain, yes the doping was not prohibited, because they didn’t have the law passed. But, I suspect if one government suspects a crime has been committed on its territory and believes that another government has evidence related to that crime, then those governments have a little chat. And international treaty arrangements of various sorts require the evidence to be transferred – or at least, the Italian authorities are allowed to look at it. It’s been reported in the German press that German criminal authorities have been allowed to access the evidence in Spain also. So, while the Spanish government isn’t about to prosecute the riders, they appear to have acceded to requests from both Italy and Germany for access to the evidence.
Just my take, based on following the story in Italy and Germany.
Yes, that must be close to the truth.
I wouldn’t have thought the Spanish would have handed it over especially readily though given their digging their heals in the sand over doing anything about it domestically…we’ll never know what’s been going on! Would have been nice to have been a fly on the wall though…
But how do the Italians know a crime has been committed on their territory unless Valverde’s tested positive in Italy? Surely almost impossible to prove unless that’s the case. And if they can’t say that then I imagine AV’s lawyers can contest their right to investigate at all? Not coming down on any side…just late night musing!
Not to defend the Spanish
but not having a domestic law with which to prosecute dopers is not exactly “digging in their heels” or burying their heads in the sand. If something isn’t illegal, then it isn’t illegal.
Where the #@&$ is my Time?
As you saw with the Floyd Landis case...
Civil Law and WADA code are not the same.
Racing for Victory and Free Beer!
don't count on it
The swiss always refused to open bank accounts of tax evaders because it’s only a misdemeanor, not a felony, in Switzerland. Well, maybe that doesn’t work for the countries that are full EU…that could actually have made a difference, changes in EU policy RE autonomy and interdependence.
Eh, sure
But in this case, it is very clear that both the Italian and German authorities have seen the Spanish evidence. There have been a number of reports based upon sources in those countries who have seen the evidence.
Don’t know exactly the mechanism by which they have seen it, but it’s clear that they have.
meant to add:
In the Italian case, it’s been mentioned that the government had a role in the negotiations. No deets have surfaced that I’ve seen.
And in other doping news
Lance ends his programme without ever having been tested.
Strano
It was not overly complex for ACE to come up with a program for a whole team. Why is one rider so difficult?
The hard part
was probably getting Lance to submit to testing. That is where the complexity arose.
by australopithecine on Feb 11, 2009 4:19 PM EST up reply actions
Meh
I don’t see why the passports won’t suffice.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 11, 2009 6:59 PM EST up reply actions
I totally agree
If the system is in place and run correctly then any outside testing is redundant and useless. This all hinges on the UCI running the passport program correctly.
by australopithecine on Feb 12, 2009 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
Full statement from Valverde:
Following the news item published in the Italian media, I wish to state that:
1 º) Although currently at the Challenge de Mallorca, where yesterday I suffered a fall which I am now recovering, I made all the necessary checks and I can affirm that neither I nor my staff have not received any note me to appear before CONI or some other body.
2 º) I repeat again my full predisposition to appear before any organization asking me to collaborate in order to clarify any links to doping.
3 º) Notwithstanding the foregoing, I can only express my surprise and my outrage over what has been published in the Italian media, with regard to the reasons why, from what seems , CONI seeks my appearance. To this end, I wish to stress that:
d) It is certain that in the stage of Prato Nevoso in the last Tour de France, the data that have resulted in controls that I have been subject showed no abnormal value.
e) I do not know what other data we try to verify or compare these values to infer a possible involvement in an attempted doping.
f) In the hypothetical case and unacceptable where the checks that I have been subjected during the Tour would provide the basis for the charges derived from existing evidence in Operation Puerto, I can only repeat that:
• • Without the need to make any chimera, I said several times that I was willing to have my blood values are compared with the evidence that the act in legal proceedings, provided that the competent authority asks me.
• • Anything that is beyond the scope of collaboration in the fight against doping and implies directly or indirectly participating in illegal conduct, presented without proof and with an advertisement that is detrimental to my image and that of my team and its sponsors, prosecution will be suitable.
source: CyclismeRevue.eu
Google is my domestique.
Speaking directly from the heart, so refreshing
So many others choose to involve their lawyers and present responses in strategically worded legaleese.
That sort of talk
don’t come from the heart, Gav. It comes from the spleen and is caused by an imbalance of humors… oh and by demons and spirits and such…
Where the #@&$ is my Time?
1, 2, 3, d, e, f??
(Yes, focusing on all the important stuff here)
Bork, bork, bork!
by TheFigurehead on Feb 11, 2009 5:27 PM EST up reply actions
Blood Vendetta!
I would like to know how and where these blood bags are being stored because sooner or later someone/something is going to contaminate them to create even more doping drama.
Mon coeur appartient à les forçats de la route.
Gargh! This is not exactly what I wanted to read upon logging on tonight.
I feel so totally torn here. I love Valverde. Huge fan. And it would hurt soo much to see him suspended. But I feel I should be more moral about it……the whole thing sucks on so many levels. And that’s all I have to say on the matter…for the moment anyway.
+1
Big Valverde fan, but if he did it, the WADA statute of limitations is 8 years. So it’s within the time frame he signed on to, and he’s got to establish whether or not he’s guilty.
Maybe this is the year it’ll pay for your VDS team to be Puerto-free.
I got Basso, so I am not PUERTO-FREE, but...
he’s already served his time.
If Valverde had spent a bit more time trying clear this up and less time being “indignant” he might have been returning to the Peloton this year.
See you in two years, Valv-Piti.
Racing for Victory and Free Beer!
Some of you guys are so harsh... "See you in two years, Valv-Piti"
I love it. What’s that rugby phrase?… Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead.
I've been railing against Valverde and HWMNBN on here for a long time!
Welcome to the Jungle!!! :)
Racing for Victory and Free Beer!
Well that's an interesting thought.
Am I right that you are inferring that if Contador rode the Tour last year he would have gotten his blood taken when it went into Italy? But then he did ride the Giro so I would presume that CONI has Bert on file already. But this story has no mention of Contador.
No, the investigation in this report *only* deals with Valverde
There is nothing on the CSC riders whom CONI also tested or Contador, who was connected with Fuentes in the original Puerto documents.
The bag 18 has EPO / bag 18 is Valv.(PITI) stuff...
comes from 2007.
In case anyone is wondering how long the EPO holds up. I think all that’s new is the DNA link—not something minor, of course, but the story’s been building quite some time.
What's new is the DNA match, yes
But also that CONI has formally called Valverde to a hearing. That hasn’t happened before now.
El Pais are saying they will go after others too
valv.pitis bags are not the only ones they have access too.
According to the article they are rumored to connect F. Schleck to Amigo di Birillo. If they had that sample though they should have been able to make a match since he was tested along with some other Saxos at Prato Nevoso too.
El Pais
What's that smell?
Oh, the Pro peloto collectively shitting their chamois!
Racing for Victory and Free Beer!
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