Alleged doping courier appears to have taken his own life
Former mountainbike rider Alberto Leon, who was implicated in both the Operación Puerto and Operación Galgo investigations, has been found hanged at his home in Madrid’s San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
Emerging reports state that Leon was found dead this morning.
He was first implicated in the 2006 Operación Puerto investigation, when he was described as a courier for Dr Eufemiano Fuentes, and like Fuentes appeared again in connection with the Operación Galgo raids.
These were carried out on December 9th and saw fourteen people arrested, including Fuentes and Leon. The houses of both were searched. Leon was reportedly found to have been hiding doping products under his mattress and blood bags elsewhere.
Apart from charges relating to the more recent case, Fuentes and others were also facing a trial over the Puerto case, which saw Ivan Basso, Jan Ullrich, Alejandro Valverde and others sidelined from cycling.
Fuentes, José Luis Merino Batres and, possibly, Fuentes’ sister Yolanda are set to be called before the courts. While no specific anti-doping law existed at the time, the fact that the three are doctors could leave them liable to charges of crimes against public health.
Leon was not listed as being set to face charges, but may well have been called to give evidence in the trial.
According to agency reports, an individual referred by the initials P.M.R refused to testify today before the Judge Mercedes Pérez Barrios in a Madrid court. He is believed to be an intermediary in the purchase and sale of banned substances.