Portuguese cycling teams that register as Continental in 2023 must have a biological passport for all cyclists, according to new rules released today by the Portuguese Cycling Federation (FPC). “No member of the technical team or cyclist may have a sports license (…) if he is accused in criminal proceedings of violating anti-doping rules or if he has been punished for violation” of those same rules, the FPC statement said. .
The extension of biological passport control to all cyclists, from all registered teams, is one of the highlights of the measures, which come “after close talks with the government”, the UCI and the Anti-Doping Authority of Portugal (ADoP). to federation president Delmino Pereira, quoted in a statement.
The rules favor “the credibility of professional cycling practiced in Portugal and so that cases such as those leading to the extinction of the W52-FC Porto are not repeated, due to suspicions of repeated doping.”
Applications must include “a record of the history of cases of anti-doping violations by team members in the last 10 sporting seasons”.
The disqualification of a sports license by someone associated with the training is accused or convicted of “stopping when they are verified cumulatively” several factors: a conviction only once for the above anti-doping violations, a penalty of less than two years suspension and five years have passed between this violation and the date of commencement of the activity, in this case January 1, 2023.
Updated minimum wage for cyclists
In addition to the new rules, “a greater financial effort” is also being demanded from teams, with a fee of 500 euros per elite rider in the squad paid by the teams, with the FPC taking over the costs of riders under 23. “It will be an ambitious and expensive bet. All parties will increase their investment and the teams will also have to contribute a part of these extraordinary costs,” said Delmino Pereira.
Other restrictions relate to the nationality of registered cyclists, as a team may contain a maximum of 30% of cyclists from outside the European Unionwith the exception of Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), which must contain more Portuguese than foreigners.
The annual minimum wages for cyclists have been updated, with a minimum cap of €14,000 for elite runners, €9,780 for under 25s and €4,935 for under 23s.
W52-FC Porto case is far from over
In March 2022, the judicial police and ADop carried out the Prova Limpa operation, which led to the extinction of the W52-FC Porto, which remained outside the Volta, a Portugal that had dominated for the past decade. This year’s round was won by Uruguayan Mauricio Moreira (Glassdrive-Q8-Anicolor).
On July 15, eight cyclists and two employees of W52-FC Porto were suspended as a preventive measure. The following day, the identities of six of these riders became known, when they were prevented from queuing for the third stage of the Grand Prix Douro Internacional, which was eventually won by José Neves, the only representative of the team who continued in the race.
Ricardo Vilela and José Gonçalves were removed, in addition to four former winners of the Volta a Portugal: João Rodrigues (2019), Rui Vinhas (2016), Ricardo Mestre (2011) and Joni Brandão, who took the win in the 2018 edition after being disqualified for doping by Raul Alarcón.
In addition to the riders who started the Douro International GP, the W52-FC Porto also counts in the ranks with Amaro Antunes, three-time winner and two-time champion in the Volta title (2021, 2020 and 2017), Jorge Magalhães, Samuel Caldeira and Daniel Mestre, the latter, were also suspended, as confirmed by team boss Adriano Quintanilha to Record newspaper.
At the end of April, 10 W52-FC Porto riders were charged and the team’s sports director, Nuno Ribeiro, was even arrested, as was his deputy, José Rodrigues, during the Clean Test operation, who was responsible for the Investigation Department. Criminal Action (DIAP) of Porto.
More searches were carried out in August and more cyclists were charged, in a case that is far from being concluded. The Public Prosecution Service has not yet formalized the charges.
Source: DN
