March 16, 2010 – The UCI has noted the ruling issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejecting the appeal of Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde concerning the decision of the Italian National Anti-doping Tribunal to suspend him from all sports events organized in Italy for a two-year period beginning in May 2009, for having breached the anti-doping rules in the context of “Operation Puerto”.

The UCI welcomes the decision of the CAS, which confirms the conclusions the UCI reached after conducting a thorough review of the documents relating to the Puerto case, and of Alejandro Valverde’s involvement in it.

Consequently, after careful study of the grounds of the CAS decision, the UCI expresses its determination to take the necessary measures to secure a suspension that is applicable internationally.