Saiz released by police
ByReuters
Published 24/05/2006 at 16:03 GMT
Manolo Saiz was released by Spanish police on Wednesday after being detained overnight as part of a doping investigation. The Liberty Siguros sporting director was held with doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who has collaborated with a number of cycling teams in recent years.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Three others were also detained in what Spanish media have described as the country's biggest anti-doping investigation.
Saiz must be available to appear before the judge heading the investigation when required, sources from Spain's Civil Guard said.
The Spanish government has said it is determined to crack down on doping in sport and has passed a draft law which will make it an offence for professional athletes to use, or be supplied with, banned substances.
"We said we would fight against doping in sport and that those that practised it would pay the consequences," Spain's sports minister Jaime Lissavetzky was quoted as saying in sports daily AS on Wednesday.
"This operation demonstrates the good co-ordination between the security forces and the government, but we must recognise the principle that people are always presumed innocent until proven guilty."
The manager of the Liberty cycling team Pablo Anton said: "We are not worried about it. I don't think this investigation has anything to do with the positive given by Roberto Heras."
Heras was banned for two years after testing positive for the banned blood booster erythropoietin (EPO) on his way to a record fourth victory in the Tour of Spain.
Heras, a former team mate of seven times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong in the U.S. Postal team, protested his innocence, arguing first that there must have been a laboratory mix-up and then that the testing process for EPO was flawed.
Liberty Seguros president Manuel Pinera stepped down in the wake of the case and said he would sell his shares to partners Saiz and Anton.
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