"Lopez is a victim of the situation" - Disgraced Dr. Maynar says he 'put my hand in the fire' that Colombian did not use banned substances

Marcos Maynar, the leader of a doping ring that has been dismantles in Spain last year, is said to be the head of the situation which led to Miguel Ángel López sacking from Astana Qazaqstan Team. However, he defends the Colombian despite being open about his actions.

“Lopez is a victim of the situation. I don't do it for other athletes, but for him I put my hand in the fire that he has not used any banned substances," Maynar told Marca. In his trial defense, he stated that López was not one of the athletes who has used prohibited substances.

It had been rumoured that López may have abandoned the Giro d'Italia after having a reaction to the substance Menotropin, which is said to have been administered days before the race. Astana did not reveal the exact reasons, but the connections between the two led to the decision to fire the climber, who has since signed with Team Medellín-EPM.

Maynar revealed that he recommended the use of Actovegin to several athetes, however that being a legal product, and he insists that he has only worked with legal products with the athletes involved in the program.