June 19, 2007 (Brussels, Belgium) – Johann Museeuw (formerly with Quickstep), together with three other cyclists, will be in court on doping charges on June 25 reports AFP. Mario De Clercq (a three-time world cyclo-cross champion), Jo Planckaert (formerly with MrBookmaker.com) and Chris Peers (formerly with Cofidis) are the other three cyclists. The doping charges are related to the “Landuyt’ affair where veterinarian Jose Landuyt allegedly supplied many cyclists with substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Museeuw, 41, is accused of possessing Aranesp (a synthetic drug which increases red blood cell levels), EPO (erythropoietin) and dexamethasone (a synthetic steroid hormone).

He has already been subjected to a four-year racing ban from the Belgian cycling federation, starting in 2004, as a result of this affair. Until recently Museeuw maintained his innocence, but at a January press conference admitted to having “raced unfairly.”

Nicknamed the “Lion of Flanders”, Museeuw won the World Cup in 1995 and 1996 and is widely considered to be a mentor to Tom Boonen (Quickstep).