Caja Rural-Seguros RGA file complaint with Spanish police after alleged leaked doping report

Spanish team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA have filed a complaint with the Spanish police over a leaked report that alleged doping links within the team. The report was anonymously circulated during this year’s Vuelta a España.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, who have seen the report, the 23-page PDF document entitled ‘temaorganizateddoping’ contains transcripts of WhatsApp messages and voice notes from and to Dr Marcos Maynar, who is involved in current Operación Ilex investigations. GCN has seen pages of the document.

Marca write that the report shows Maynar and various collaborators appearing to discuss specific doping products and their usages, dating from 2020 to 2022.

They also report that parts of the report show Maynar speaking with riders from Caja Rural-Seguros RGA. They allege that the riders contacted Maynar directly, rather than via a team doctor.

The 23-page report was reportedly shared with teams and media during the Vuelta, from an anonymous source.

On Thursday, Caja Rural released a statement confirming they had filed a complaint to the police over the dissemination of the document, though not directed at a specific person, and without a specific accusation of a crime.

“The Caja Rural-Seguros RGA team confirms that it has filed a complaint to the Guardia Civil in which it has made the Guardia Civil aware of the events that happened during the Vuelta a España 2023. The team was the victim of a partial, biased and out-of-context leak of a police report contained within a judicial file,” the statement read.

“The information that appears refers to a small part of a judicial investigation process into possible crimes against public health and sport, in which neither the team or any of its members are implicated.”

The investigation they refer to is Operación Ilex. Marca reports that several people were called to testify in the early parts of the investigation in October, including Maynar and some of his collaborators. The recently suspended Miguel Ángel López has also been summoned as a witness. No riders or staff from Caja Rural have yet been officially implicated in the investigation, as their statement says.

“This leak hides behind anonymity with the sole objective of harming the team and its components. It was sent by email and post to people directly linked with professional cycling with the aim of damaging the reputation of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA,” the statement continues.

“Considering all the above, Caja Rural has informed Guardia Civil of these facts through the corresponding complaint, in case they may constitute a crime.

“Due to the complainant not knowing the identity of the person or people responsible for these events, the complaint is not directed at a specific person, and this is clearly reflected in the complaint.”

The team also told Marca that they have been cooperating with the relevant authorities and do not expect any sanction from this process.