Six charged in Spanish doping scandal

Six people, including the coach of former world 3,000m steeplechase champion Marta Dominguez, were charged with public health offences and trafficking in illegal substances on Sunday as a major doping probe continued.

The six were Cesar Perez, the coach of Spanish athletics federation vice-president Dominguez, athlete Alberto Garcia, former cyclist Alberto Leon, fitness trainer Manuel Pascua Piqueras and Jose Alonso Valero, a former athlete and agent, according to judicial sources and Spanish media.

The sixth man was reported to be Eufemiano Fuentes, the man believed to have been the mastermind behind Operation Puerto, who was accused of organising a vast blood doping network after a May 2006 police raid on his Madrid laboratory allegedly uncovered doping products and 100 bags of blood products.

Among the riders caught up in that investigation were former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich and Giro d’Italia winner Ivan Basso.

MADRID,AFP