What a Piti

Alejandro Valverde has his appeal (against the ban imposed by CONI) currently being heard by CAS Mixed Fortunes For Valverde In CAS Appeal | Cyclingnews.com.

Valverde, who is currently in Australia preparing for the Tour Down Under, is challenging the ban imposed by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on the basis of DNA evidence collected by them in the wake of the 2006 Operacion Puerto blood doping investigation. The UCI and World Anti-Doping Agency have supported CONI's stance and asked for the ban to be extended across the world.

The good news for Valverde is that the CAS appeal's only dealing with CONI's ban: additional sanctions by the UCI and WADA won't be heard at this hearing.  On the other hand, one of the CONU prosecutors is quoted as saying:

"Valverde is a doper. Even the intention to use the contents of the blood bag is against the code laid down by WADA… The law must be equal towards everyone. [Spanish] Judge [Antonio] Serrano sent us all the documentation in order to take action against [Ivan] Basso and [Michele] Scarponi, but then refused to do it in Valverde's case."

Which is pretty damning.  Today's installment was lining up an appearance of Jesus Manzano, a teammate of Valverde's back in the days of Kelme.  But the best bit is the claim that the code name Valv. (Piti) does not correspond to Valverde because Piti, his pet Alsation wasn't even born when the blood samples were taken in 2004.  The samples were seized in 2006.  Ho hum.  Operacion Puerto is the doping investigation that just keeps giving.

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