Events, Observations »
Jose Antonio Hermida forced out of World Championships because of suspected Puerto link
So it looks as though Operacion Puerto, the witchhunt that has turned pro cycling into a world-wide farce, has reared its ugly head in the mountain biking world.
Jose Antonio Hermida has been forced by the Spanish Cycling Association to withdraw from the World Championships after a nick name with which he is believed to be associated showed up in documents produced by officials involved with the case. For his part, Hermida seems pretty pissed off, and his press release makes two key points:
1. There are no existing legal charges against me.
2. There are no current sanctions against me
So let me get get this straight: Hermida hasn’t been found guilty of anything; he hasn’t been suspended for any past infractions; officials used the existence of a nickname to justify his expulsion from the Worlds.
If you ask me, that’s pretty darn weak. Another top rider is gone from a world-level pro event because he might be involved in a doping case that’s already ruined the seasons of riders who were eventually cleared for lack of substantive evidence. And why the heck is this info only coming to light now, a couple days before a major event, when it’s obviously been available for almost three months.
This one smacks of publicity hunting, regardless of Hermida’s guilt or innocence which, by the way, has not been given due process.