Miguel Ángel López has had his contract with World Tour team Astana Qazaqstan terminated. The team said it had learned more about a 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 this year the team had suspended the Colombian climber after reports in Spain suggested he was caught up in the investigation into Dr Marcos Maynar, who is at the centre of Operation Ilex. However, López then returned to the team and placed 4th overall in La Vuelta.
While the team previously took López back into its ranks just months ago, it has issued a statement this evening saying it had no option but to terminate his contract, which still had all of next year to run.
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"Astana Qazaqstan Team discovered new elements showing M A Lopez's probable connection with Dr M Maynar," it said in its statement. "Accordingly, the team had no other solution than to end the contract between team and rider, based on breaches of said contract and internal team rules, with immediate effect. To preserve the rights of the team and the rider no further comments will be made."
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Operation Ilex is a police investigation in Spain which began at the start of last year. 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 of this year 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, 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.
More to come.
