Alejandro Valverde was quick to react to the news that the Sports Court of Arbitration has upheld his ban to race on Italian soil, imposed by the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI). He released a statement, dismissing the decision as unacceptable.
The Spaniard gave several reasons why he considers the decision as invalid. “We consider one of the judges as partial, since he has worked for the World Anti Doping Agency [WADA]. The partiality of this judge is under investigation from the Swiss Federal Court, which should decide accordingly.”
The Valverde camp went on that the testing was done illegally in the first place. “Spanish law rulings prohibit using samples of Operación Puerto. This decision from February 2009 was confirmed by a court in Madrid. CAS does not have the authority to ignore a decision by the Spanish Justice System.”
Valverde sees a general problem with the ruling. “The CAS decision clearly damages the fundamental rights of the rider, especially a just judgment and the right to privacy.”
The Valverde concluded that they shouldn’t be bound by the decision. “The lack of impartiality from this panel and the clear violations of fundamental right mean that we won’t comply with it and continue our legal proceedings through the Swiss Federal Court.”
UCI happy with CAS decision
The International Cycling Union UCI welcomes the decision by CAS to suspend Valverde for two years from races on Italian soil, starting from May 2009.
In a press release, the UCI said after the thorough review of the documents and the CAS decision, it is determined to “take the necessary measures to secure a suspension that is applicable internationally.”