The UCI has announced that Colombian cycling star Miguel Angel Lopez has received a 4・year ban for doping.

In the 2022 Giro d'Italia, Lopez, 30, was found guilty of violating anti-doping rules for "the use and possession of the banned substance menotropin."

The statement added that "In accordance with the World Anti・Doping Rules and the UCI Anti・doping Rules, the suspension period will begin in 2023/7/25 and will remain in effect until 2027/7/24."

Lopez last raced with the Medellin-EPM team until it was provisionally suspended in the middle of 2023, but has repeatedly claimed his innocence.

The UCI statement confirmed that the lawsuit against Lopez began as a result of evidence obtained by Spain's Guardia Civil and the country's anti-doping agency, CELAD, in the course of an extensive police investigation into the drug ring codenamed Operaciónilex, which began in 2021.  This evidence was processed by an Independent Testing Agency (ITA).

Menotropin is a banned substance used to treat infertility disorders.

Operacion Ilex is still in progress in Spanish courts, focusing on the activities of a university professor, Dr. Marcos Maynar, and the doping ring, which supplied several athletes with both banned and legal substances. 

Maynard was arrested at 5.11 am, the day after Lopez's sudden withdrawal from the Giro d'Italia due to a leg injury, and was initially charged with crimes against public health, drug trafficking and money laundering.

Dr. Mayner has repeatedly argued that he is not guilty of any crime and denies giving Lopez a prohibited substance.

Lopez himself was temporarily suspended following allegations by his last world tour team, Astana・Kazakhstan, before being decisively released by the team in 2022-12. He was also briefly questioned by Spanish police while flying from Colombia.

Known for his fiery character and for breaking up with Movistar after abandoning the 2021 Vuelta a España in the final stage of the controversy over team support, Lopez's talent as a mountaineer helped him achieve considerable success.

The Colombian, who won the Tour de la Venir in 2014, won the 2020 Tour de France at Col de Rosé and the 2021 Vuelta at Lagos de Covadonga with complete victories at the Tour de Switzerland and Volta in Catalonia.

In 2023, prior to his decisive stop, he won more than 28 victories, in almost all domestic or 2.2/2.2 races, including 9 out of 8 stages of the Vuelta a Colombia. His biggest win was the Vuelta a San Juan, which unfortunately disappeared, entering the 2nd place.HC.

Lopez can now appeal against an anti-doping ruling for a period of up to 1 month at the CAS, the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Lopez himself had already filed the case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport against Astana for unfair dismissal and last month, there were unconfirmed reports that he had won the case and that the Kazakh team would have to pay Lopez his back salary.Lopez is one of the most successful players of his career.Lopez is one of the most successful players of his career. Meanwhile, the case arising from the Ilex, in which Lopez does not face prosecution, has not yet been fully heard in Spanish courts.