"I will appeal immediately" - Miguel Ángel López outraged with the UCI's 4-year doping sanction

This Wednesday, May 29, 2024, Miguel Angel Lopez has been surprised by the harsh 4-year sanction that the Anti-Doping Court has imposed on him for the use of menotropin during the Giro d'Italia 2022, the maximum sanction for doping, which will keep him out of competition until July 24, 2027, since he has been suspended for a year.

In response to the news, Miguel Angel Lopez's statement on the matter was not long in coming, confirming his indignation at the facts and stating that he will appeal the sanction immediately: "Today I have been informed about the decision of the UCI and the sanction of suspension for four years. I deeply disagree with it, understanding that it dissociates itself from the previous decisions made by the Spanish courts and the CAS itself, I insist on maintaining the existence of an infringement based on the interpretation of conversations that were biased and manipulated".

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"I understand that the infraction is non-existent and the sanction unjustified. I will immediately appeal to the UCI and defend my innocence as I have always done, I am confident of returning to the competitive world of cycling. I thank the people who support me, all the positive messages from fans and the continued support of my team and family."

The UCI relies on the summary of the Operation Ilex provided by the Guardia Civil to sanction 'Superman' as Lopez is known. The Colombian rider was being investigated in the framework of Operation Ilex and the doping plot allegedly led by Marcos Maynar. This news of the UCI sanction contrasts with the decision of the CAS regarding the Colombian just a few weeks ago, which stated that it could not be proven that he had doped and condemned the Astana team to pay him the salary owed to him for unfair dismissal.

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