Prosecution does not consider there is evidence to convict Miguel Ángel López in Operation Ilex

Operation Ilex, which investigates the alleged doping plot led by Marcos Maynar, continues its development with a breaking news that leaves once again the impression that Spain is not doing everything it should in the fight against doping. The prosecutor's office in the case interprets that, despite evidence from the Guardia Civil that seems to testify to the contrary, Miguel Ángel López has not committed any crime.

The report of the prosecutor Sonia Castañeda Redondo is very different from that of the Central Operative Unit (UCO). She, as Fernando Ferrari advances in Ciclo21, does not think that López has committed any crime.

"It has not been sufficiently accredited to which athletes they were intended and in relation to which specific competition, nor has it been consumed or to what extent, the effect produced or the danger, both generic and specific, that this drug can cause with its intake. Therefore, the provisional dismissal of these three investigated persons is requested".

In her brief of December 3, 2023, prosecutor Castañeda focuses on three of the eight investigated: Vicente Belda García, former Astana masseur; and the couple Ángel Vázquez and Luis Vicente Otín. Menotropin, commercially known as HMG-Lepori, is the common element among them, intercepted in their possessions and sent by different routes. It should be noted that Maynar, according to the UCO, never prescribed it directly, seeking to complicate its identification by eliminating the commercial brand in the shipments.

One of the main discrepancies lies in the interpretation of menotropin. While the prosecutor considers it to be a legally authorized drug, the Guardia Civil maintains that it has been used for doping purposes, in violation of the anti-doping regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), causing physical harm to López.

Also, always according to information from Ciclo 21, the applicability of article 362 quinquies of the Penal Code is questioned by the prosecutor, arguing that it is a result crime that requires endangering the life or health of the athlete, a criterion not shared by the Civil Guard. The discrepancy is intensified by the fact that Maynar planned the participation of Miguel Ángel López in the Giro d'Italia 2022, including the injections, and sent the ampoules of menotropin to Belda García, who suffered adverse consequences after its administration during the race.

Despite this evidence, prosecutor Castañeda requests the provisional dismissal of the three aforementioned investigated persons, alleging lack of rational indications of criminality. This raises uncertainty about the future course of the case, as the prosecutor's position regarding the other investigated parties is awaited.

The judicial future of Maynar, Bartolomé, Belda Vicedo, Bernal and Pereira, and the possible indictment of the UCI against "Superman" López, are pending the decisions made by the prosecutor after evaluating the evidence presented. Uncertainty persists, and the new judge assigned to the case will have to determine the direction of the ongoing judicial process. In the meantime, the UCI is watching closely to decide whether the evidence supports the allegations of doping practices against Lopez, with possible sanctions of up to four years or final acquittal.

Article written by Juan Larra (@MrGladbach).