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UCI protests Giro raids

By The Associated Press
Published: May. 19, 2005

MAROSTICA, Italy (AP) - The Union Cycliste Internationale has risen to the defense of teams that were targeted by police raids and criticized the publicity given to the anti-doping operation.

The UCI said in a statement Thursday that the hypobaric equipment found in the hotel housing the Davitamon-Lotto team is not illegal, and medicines and bottles from intravenous drips reportedly used by Lotto and Saunier Duval were believed to be legal products. The police raid was carried out after Wednesday's 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia, which was won by Davitamon-Lotto captain Robbie McEwen of Australia.

The raid drew national attention, similar to the one in San Remo during the 2001 Giro when medicines and syringes were seized.

"The 2001 scandal later flattened out, but hurt cycling badly for years. UCI is unwilling to tolerate that something similar can happen again," the UCI said.

The cycling union said that the hypobaric equipment, called an Altitrainer, is not illegal under UCI or World Anti-Doping Agency rules.

"Altitrainer is not forbidden by laws in most European countries, where it's used in training camps of several national Olympic committees," the UCI said.

It noted that the equipment, a pressurized oxygen system, could infringe stricter Italian anti-doping rules.

The UCI also said the medicines "are authorized products ... included in the registered lists of teams doctors."

"So far, police did not announce the seizure of any illegal product."

Daniel Deneve, the Davitamon-Lotto team doctor, said the Altitrainer is legal and used by cyclists to recover after tough stages.

"It's a passive treatment ... cyclists breath a mixture poor of oxygen which causes a de-oxidization effect," Deneve told Italian media.

"Dozens of studies by experts have proved it's not doping," said the doctor, who according to the Italian news agency ANSA was served notice he's being investigated by Italian prosecutors.