La Volpe says he's sorry
ByReuters
Published 13/07/2005 at 06:11 GMT
Mexico coach Ricardo La Volpe apologised to Cruz Azul for remarks he made after two of the club's internationals failed a doping test. La Volpe's comments, which came after Salvador Carmona and Aaron Galindo were expelled from Mexico's Confederations Cup
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"I don't think that my declarations at any moment harmed this institution," La Volpe told the Notimex agency from Houston in the United States, where Mexico are taking part in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
"I was talking about a gymnasium, but, if there was at any moment an attack on Cruz Azul, I would have to apologise," said La Volpe, explaining his comments were aimed at a gymnasium
used by the Mexico City club.
The controversy erupted last month when Mexico, who had just beaten world champions Brazil 1-0 at the Confederations tournament in Germany, announced that Carmona and Galindo had been sent home.
After initially saying they were kicked out for indiscipline, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) said the
pair had tested positive for a derivative of nandrolone, a banned anabolic steroid, before the squad left Mexico.
The pair were subsequently banned for one year.
DEFENDED DOCTOR
La Volpe kept quiet about the episode until Sunday, when he stepped in to defend national team doctor Jose Luis Serrano from criticism for his role in the affair.
Asked whether Serrano had any responsibility, La Volpe told reporters they should be asking questions about Cruz Azul instead.
He said he had been told that other Cruz Azul players had been administered the same supplements as Carmona and Galindo at a gymnasium used by the club.
Cruz Azul president Guillermo Alvarez angrily denied the claims, demanded La Volpe provide proof and said he would take the matter up at a meeting of first division clubs.
Others called for La Volpe, who was widely praised after Mexico finished fourth in Germany, to step down as coach.
"There are two or three candidates who could take the job on with much more personality," said Jorge Vergara, the flamboyant president of Guadalajara in a radio interview.
Former Mexico and Real Madrid striker Hugo Sanchez, a bitter personal rival of La Volpe, who has made it clear he wants the national coaching job for himself, also joined in.
"The faster he goes, the better it will be for the good of Mexican football and it's image," the outspoken coach of UNAM said.
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