Another Portuguese team suspended after breaches of anti-doping regulations

Portuguese cycling has been in a rough state over the past few years specially after the W52-FC Porto scandal in which the team was revoked of its UCI license due to a widespread doping program that involved the team management and most of its riders. Flashbacks of that situation have been brought up now as the UCI announced a temporary suspension of the AP Hotels & Resorts-Tavira-SC Farense team. 

"The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that the UCI Disciplinary Commission has decided to suspend the Portuguese Team APHotels & Resorts - Tavira - SC Farense, for a period of 20 days, starting on 23 October 2025 and effective until 11 November 2025, in accordance with Article 11.3 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules;" the UCI shared in a press release.

The team has had two doping violations in the space of 12 months, one of them from Venceslau Fernandes and the other of Spanish veteran Delio Fernandez, both of which had unexplained abnormalities in their biological passports. Both of these cases mount back to the 2023 season but were exposed in November 2024 and July 2025 when both riders were consequently suspended.

The team has to also endure the consequences, although they are not serious. The Portuguese racing calendar is virtually over and the continental-level team will not be losing competition due to it. However it takes a meaningful reputation hit and could in the long-term suffer the consequences when it comes to sponsorships.

"The UCI ADR provides for the suspension of a team when two of its riders receive notice of an asserted anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) arising from an Adverse Passport Finding which occurred during the same 12-month period."

"In this context, the relevant dates to determine if the commission of the two violations occurred within the same twelve-month period shall be the period of time during which the riders used a Prohibited Method or a Prohibited Substance according to the Expert Panel’s evaluation of the Athlete Biological Passport," the statement explained, whilst keeping this case rather open with the Portuguese anti-doping agency for potential further developments.