Miguel Ángel López, the Colombian cyclist at the centre of protracted controversy over alleged doping, has now been banned from racing for four years by the UCI for using a medication normally used in the treatment of fertility problems in women.
The four-year ban, backdated to last July when he last raced, results from drug-taking around the same time as the 2022 Giro d'Italia, where he completed three stages before failing to finish the fourth stage to Mount Etna.
The UCI said on Wednesday its anti-doping tribunal found "López guilty of an anti-doping rule violation for use and possession of a prohibited substance - Menotropin - concomitantly with the 2022 Giro d’Italia, and has imposed a four-year suspension on the rider" until July 24th, 2027.
"As a reminder, the disciplinary proceeding was initiated following an investigation conducted by the International Testing Agency based on evidence obtained from the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Spanish Anti-Doping Organisation (CELAD) in the so-called Operation “Ilex” concerning Dr Marcos Maynar," the UCI added in its statement.
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"The UCI welcomes this valuable collaboration. Furthermore, in line with the Procedural Rules of the Tribunal, the decision will be published on the UCI website. The decision may be appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within one month."
Lengthy period of controversy
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In December 2022 López had his contract with World Tour team Astana Qazaqstan terminated. The team said it had learned more about the doctor being investigated on suspicion of involvement in doping and had no option but to terminate López’s contract for breach of team rules.
Earlier that year the team had suspended the Colombian climber after reports in Spain suggested he was caught up in the investigation into Dr Maynar, who is at the centre of Operation Ilex. However, López then returned to the team and placed 4th overall in 2022 Vuelta.
Operation Ilex is a police investigation in Spain which began three years ago. Back then the Guardia Civil began examining allegations into a group based in western Spain suspected of being involved in the supply of doping products to athletes.
Maynar was arrested in May, 2022, over allegations of drug trafficking and money laundering. Astana suspended Lopez in July after reports linked him to the investigation. However, the rider strongly denied any wrongdoing, adding he was not under any form of investigation.
He returned to racing at Vuelta a Burgos in August, 2022, finishing 3rd overall before going on to place 4th at La Vuelta and then finished out his season with a series of one-day races in Italy in October.
After his contract with Astana was terminated, a year early, at the end of 2022 Lopez found a place with Team Medellín-EPM, a Colombian Continental team. He last raced for that team at the end of last July when he was provisionally suspended; now an official four-year ban.
