Eufemiano Fuentes, on trial for allegedly masterminding a doping ring in cycling, will not be forced to identify any of the clients whose frozen blood was found in bags seized by police, the judge in the case ruled.
The Spanish doctor, prompting a request by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), said he could identify to whom the blood in the numbered bags belonged but Judge Julia Santamaria said she would not prevent him from revealing the names but would not force him to do so as that would infringe the rights of those implicated. Fuentes however revealed the name of one client and identified former rider Jose Javier Gomez, now the president of Spain’s association of professional cyclists (ACP) and the director general of a government foundation that promotes sport for young people.
The closely-watched and much-delayed trial began on Monday and Fuentes said he had clients in sports other than cycling, including soccer, tennis, athletics, and boxing.
Fuentes, on Tuesday, refused to answer a host of detailed questions from lawyers representing organizations including WADA, the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) and the International Cycling Union (UCI).
Fuentes and his fellow accused are being tried for violating public health regulations as the current anti-doping legislation of Spain was not in force in 2006 when the police raids took place. The blood bags found during the raid were linked to more than 50 professional cyclists including German Jan Ullrich and Italian Ivan Basso, who were both excluded from the 2006 Tour de France.