10 members of W52-FC Porto suspended over doping investigations

In April a nation-wide raid targeted against W52-FC Porto, Portugal's top team, has seen the team's DS arrested and later prohibited from returning to his position. Ten riders were accused of illegal practices, and Portuguese media report that eight have been suspended.

The report came from newspaper 'Record'. Without specifying, they claim eight riders and two staff members were suspended this friday and have already been notified by the Anti-Doping authorities - both national and international. The suspension is valid for 120 days, but is not a ban and does not indicate the confirmation of wrongdoing.

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With the Volta a Portugal, the country's most important event set to start in just over two weeks - in the 4th of August - it poses the likelihood that the team that has won every edition since it's creation in 2013 will not be present in Lisbon for the start.

This is however an ongoing situation, with the possibility of an appeal that would lead to a delay in the suspensions. Some of the team's riders who are said to be suspended are currently racing the GP Douro Internacional, where the team's own José Neves is currently in the yellow jersey.

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