Prison sentences for Spanish 'doping' doctors: Orluis Aular and others testify

In the extensive Spanish doping case Operación Ilex, university professor Marcos Maynar and exercise physiologist Ignacio Bartolomé have been sentenced to prison terms of two years and nine months, respectively. According to the renowned Spanish sports newspaper Marca, these are the harshest criminal convictions in the history of doping in Spain.

Maynar and Bartolomé came under scrutiny in 2023 when the Guardia Civil launched an investigation into the two. Both worked at the University of Extremadura and, in that capacity, conducted exercise tests on cyclists and swimmers. Afterwards, the athletes (both professional and amateur) received capsules by mail with handwritten labels such as coffee, strength, and lactate. According to statements, the athletes did not know the actual contents of these capsules. They contained several substances that are prohibited in Spain.

According to Marca, the verdict puts an end to the largest doping case in cycling in recent years. The court in Cáceres found it proven that Maynar and Bartolomé were responsible for transporting unauthorized medications related to supplying substances to athletes. The 26-page ruling includes intercepted postal packages, resealable bags, and handwritten capsules, as well as prominent names from the sport.

Serious health risks
The court of Cáceres established that the lactate capsules contained a substance corresponding to dichloroacetic acid (DCA), which is not permitted in Spain. The substance is considered performance-enhancing because it reduces lactate buildup during exertion. However, DCA carries significant risks as it can damage the nervous system, cause liver toxicity, and is possibly carcinogenic. The other prohibited medication that Maynar and Bartolomé distributed was Actovegin Forte tablets. This is a biologic drug intended for cattle but can cause allergic reactions in humans.

The judge accused Maynar and Bartolomé of endangering the health of the involved athletes, although the cyclists and swimmers have not yet suffered from any side effects of the banned substances. The charges include the risk and distribution of unauthorized medications. The court did not find it proven that the delivery of menotropin to the address of Vicente Belda (then a masseur at Astana) ended up in the hands of the now-suspended Miguel Ángel López. The Colombian abandoned the 2022 Giro d'Italia with an inflamed leg, but it has not been established that this was due to the menotropin supplied to Belda.

Aular among the witnesses
Many riders contracted by Caja Rural-Seguros RGA between 2020 and 2023 were in contact with the two convicted individuals. Among them is Orluis Aular, the Venezuelan champion who is currently riding for Movistar in the Giro d'Italia. Other well-known names such as Julen Amezqueta, Garikoitz Bravo, and Josu Etxeberria are also on the witness list. Additionally, López’s name appears repeatedly in Operación Ilex. He was also a client of Maynar and Bartolomé, receiving among other things DCA capsules and Actovegin Forte tablets.

Maynar has been sentenced to two years in prison, fined 2,700 euros, and suspended from his duties for 21 months. Bartolomé will serve nine months in prison, pay a 2,100 euro fine, and is banned from working for nine months. With this, Maynar now holds the dubious distinction of receiving the harshest legal penalty ever imposed in a Spanish doping case. The sentence is harsher than that of doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who was sentenced to one year in prison following Operación Puerto in 2006.

All parties involved were acquitted by the same court of distributing sports doping.