“An operation aimed at detecting prohibited methods and illicit substances likely to distort the sports truth in professional cycling events” that led to the seizure of “various substances and clinical instruments, used in the training of athletes and with impact on their athletic performance. On the eve of April 25, national cycling began a real revolution in the framework of the Prova Limpa operation, which led to the arrest of two sports directors, Nuno Ribeiro (W52 FC Porto) and José Rodrigues (Fortuna Maia but also linked to blue and white). However, this would only be the first chapter of an investigation by the Judicial Police that continues three months later.
After the disassociation of Nuno Ribeiro from any sporting function in sport (in addition to the periodic presentations to the authorities), eight runners and two more members of the staff of W52 FC Porto were also accused and later suspended by the Portuguese Anti-Doping Authority during the Douro International Grand Prix, which left only José Neves on the road representing the team until winning the competition after four stages. Subsequently, and despite the efforts to guarantee the minimum number of cyclists that would arrive from the Spanish U-23, the International Cycling Union decided to continue with the process and He also suspended the team in the prelude to the Volta a Portugal, decision that caused the Board of Dragons to suspend the agreement made for cycling.
From the outset, all this part was “resolved” and awaiting a decision, including an open letter from Adriano Quintanilha, head of W52 FC Porto, who spoke of “attempted defamation” and left an intransigent guarantee of defense of the runners ” Until the contrary is proven”. Nevertheless, Operation Prova Limpa ended up having a second chapter in the antechamber of the prologue of the Volta a Portugal. “As main objective is the collection of evidence, that is, documentation and not the arrest of any suspect”, the Judicial Police carried out several raids in “places linked to cycling teams”.
Efapel was one of the indicated teams, and the indicated runner, Francisco Campos, admitted to his sports director that he had been the subject of searches before being charged. “He explained to me what led to that, which I am not going to reveal because I think it is something private and it worries him,” José Azevedo told Lusa about the runner who represented W52 FC Porto between 2019 and 2021 and it was a reinforcement to attack the Volta to Portugal. “In this team there is an internal code that I explained to the riders from the beginning of the project and from which we do not move, we do not give in, nor do we admit it. Due to non-compliance with these internal rules of the team, he was immediately replaced, his activity within the Efapel team was immediately suspended, and he will no longer be part of this project, ”said the former runner.
Rádio Popular Boavista was also linked to the operation by a rider, Daniel Freitas, who came to wear the yellow jersey in the Volta a Portugal and who also passed through the W52 FC Porto, in this case between 2016 and 2018. The position comes after a house search, carried out by elements of the PJ, under suspicion of indiscreet practices of use of unauthorized substances. Without questioning the professionalism of the athlete, since he is at the service of the team, it is an honor for us that the mere suspicion of any act tending to defraud the sporting truth is worthy of our vehement censorship, underlining that the team is totally oblivious to any act illicit that the athlete has practiced”, explained the team that decided to suspend and remove the runner from the Volta.
Glassdrive, one of the potential candidates for victory in the Volta a Portugal, was also searched isolated from a runner. “The team or the team is not involved in any of that, he was a cyclist. Nobody knows the real reason for the searches yet, but one thing I can assure you: we have nothing to do with it as a team. For our part, I have a clear conscience. The team does not condone this type of situation. In fact, we have an internal code of sporting conduct that disapproves of any type of situation like this,” the team’s sporting director, Rúben Pereira, told O Jogo. “They found nothing because there was nothing to find,” he added.
“These unpleasant surprises of the last few weeks and, in particular, this specific case today, and I still don’t have the exact idea of the dimension of what we are talking about, demotivate everyone. When this atmosphere began to calm down, a bomb like that falls again… Obviously it’s demotivating for anyone. Do I send the towel to the floor? Of course not, but I’m worried. After the ordeal that was the news of the W52-FC Porto, I was far from thinking that this bad message happened and could have changed the way of being, apparently, of some people who were still in this caravan. [não fosse entendida]”, Joaquim Gomes, director of the Volta a Portugal, told Lusa.
Source: Observadora
