The UCI, in the framework of Operation Ilex, preventively sanctioned Miguel Angel Lopez, who has been banned from racing for several weeks on charges of doping. In his specific case, possessing doping products could lead to a 4-year ban from competition.
The International Testing Agency (ITA) has made a statement on the situation faced by Miguel Angel Lopez. Benjamin Cohen, president of the ITA, spoke to the newspaper 'El Tiempo' and although his statement was brief, he shed light on the ongoing process: "I could speak something very general because I do not know the details, we have a team in charge of that and we continue in that work. The advantage is that we have an interdisciplinary team that works together and intelligently. I can't say any more than that.
The investigation into Lopez and his possible involvement in 'Operation IIlex' remains ongoing, and the ITA president did not provide specific details about the case. However, his comment suggests that a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the Colombian cyclist is underway and that it is very complicated that we will see him racing given the evidence presented by the Spanish judiciary to the UCI.
Cohen also emphasized that this process is not exclusively about Miguel Angel Lopez, but is part of a broader effort to ensure the integrity of cycling and protect all athletes. "It's not a one-athlete thing, it's what is done with all athletes. If there is something to look at, to analyze, to go deeper, then we proceed, and that is what was done with Lopez," he said.
