Doping case of Marc Soler’s father takes new turn as report alleges 2023 links between UAE rider and banned US Postal doctor

The anti-doping case involving the father of Marc Soler has taken a further turn after Spanish outlet Ciclo21 published a detailed reconstruction of events dating back to August 2023.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Jaume Soler Serrano, an amateur cyclist and the father of the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider, received an 18-month suspension from Spain’s anti-doping authority CELAD following links to banned coach Jose Marti, a figure associated with the US Postal Service doping era and currently serving a ban until June 2027.

The new report focuses on a meeting on 9 August 2023 in Adrall, near the Andorran border, involving Marti, Jaume Soler and Marc Soler. According to the publication, the three were the subject of surveillance by Spain’s Guardia Civil following anonymous complaints submitted to CELAD earlier that year.

Jaume Soler and Marti were stopped at a roadside control where officers discovered equipment including latex gloves, alcohol, a lactate meter, oxygen saturation devices and testing strips. These tools are commonly used in performance testing to measure aerobic and anaerobic thresholds.

Ciclo21 writes that there are “no direct proofs”, but suggests that the sequence of events could describe “a potentially punishable scenario”, while also acknowledging the presence of “many reasonable doubts” that remain to be resolved by the authorities.

The report states that Marc Soler was riding in the area at the time of the control and later met with his father and Marti before being stopped separately by officers. It alleges that authorities are examining whether the circumstances could fall under anti-doping rules relating to prohibited association, which restrict licensed athletes from working with individuals serving doping bans.

At this stage, no sanction has been announced against Marc Soler, and no formal verdict has been issued in relation to his involvement. The matter remains under the jurisdiction of CELAD, with Spanish authorities yet to publish a final determination.

In statements referenced in the report, Marc Soler denied any professional relationship with Marti, while acknowledging that the coach had previously trained his father. Marti is said not to have provided subsequent testimony to the Guardia Civil.

The confirmed sanction announced relates solely to Jaume Soler Serrano. There is no public ruling indicating that Marc Soler has been charged or sanctioned.

Ciclo21 describes the case as ongoing, noting that administrative changes within CELAD have contributed to delays in reaching a final decision. The Union Cycliste Internationale and other governing bodies are understood to be awaiting the outcome of the Spanish process.

For now, the case involving the father of the UAE rider has developed further following the publication of new reporting, but no additional disciplinary decision has been made public.