Several doping stories are making headlines this week.
Antoine Torhoek in the black race.
Doping news has been relatively quiet lately, but as of Wednesday, at least four doping-related stories were suddenly in the headlines.
The incident began on Monday when the UCI announced an interim suspension for Franck Bonamour due to “unexplained abnormalities in his biological passport,” it said in a short statement. Rather than directly testing for banned substances, the Athlete Biological Passport uses long-term blood and urine tests to detect changes indicative of doping. ABP contains “modules” that monitor biomarkers for abnormal hematology and endocrine changes. Finding anomalies could indicate doping, but could also potentially alert riders to early health problems. Bonhamour, 28, who currently rides Decathlon Ag2r La Mondial, won the Combat Award at the 2021 Tour de France.
On Tuesday, Colombian doctor Freddy Alexander González Torres, who assisted Nairo and Deyer Quintana’s Alkea Samsic team during the attack on the team’s hotel room during the 2020 Tour de France, spoke out about the incident. News has come out of France that charges have been filed in connection with. Raid. According to reports, “syringe equipment” was reportedly found during the search. Needles are prohibited by the UCI “unless there is a clear and recognized medical indication”, but reports at the time did not suggest that other illegal substances were found in the search.
Nairo Quintana later tested positive for tramadol during the 2022 Tour, and although it was not a doping violation under WADA regulations at the time, the governing body had banned the use of tramadol in cycling. He was suspended by the UCI. Quintana has since returned to the World Tour with Movistar and is currently participating in the Tour Colombia with the team. Tramadol was then added to WADA’s 2024 Prohibited Substances List.
according to le figaro, the aforementioned physician may use “substances or methods prohibited for use by athletes without medical justification, in this case equipment, tools, products and devices that allow the performance of intravenous infusions and/or intravenous injections.” He has been charged with possession. He is scheduled to go on trial in Marseille in September and faces up to five years in prison if found guilty. The Quintana brothers are not expected to be charged in connection with the incident.
While French authorities are handling the case, Spanish authorities are conducting Operation Ilex, an investigation into doping rings, and although Miguel Ángel López denies doping, he is suspected of being involved. He has been suspended from participating. According to recent reports in Spanish media, an investigation has uncovered evidence that university professor Dr. Marcos Maynor, who was allegedly at the center of the ring, and some of his associates were attempting to supply banned substances to athletes. These media reports included screenshots of messages sent between Mr. López and Mr. Maynard.
At the same time, prosecutors involved in the case called for the scope of the investigation to be narrowed, saying only some people under investigation could be indicted.
In addition to it, marca Sources in Spain’s anti-doping authorities suggest the systems in place are insufficient to catch Proton cheaters, with one challenge being a lack of night and weekend testing. What is being done is emphasized. marca An official quoted Dorper as saying that, among other nefarious ways to avoid detection, he could use banned substances before bed that would be undetectable by the next morning.
Finally, in news from the UCI on Wednesday, Antoine Tolhoek has been provisionally suspended after recording an adverse assay result for anabolic androgenic steroids in an out-of-competition test in November, when he was still officially a member of RiddleTrek. It is said that he received it. After his last race with the team, the Tour of Guangxi.
The 29-year-old Dutch player played for the LottoNL-Jumbo team (now Visma-Lease a Bike) from 2017 to 2021 before joining Trek-Segafredo on a two-year contract. He joined the Sabgar Anicolor Continental team in 2024 after leaving the team at the end of last year. Pursuant to anti-doping regulations, Tolhawk may request B-sample analysis.
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