The case centers on a former cyclist and sports director from Alicante named Vicente Belda and his son, Vincent Belda Garcia. The two, along with a team masseuse for Astana, were drawn into a probe examining a network involved in distributing prohibited substances for doping. The investigation was carried out by the Civil Guard and the Central Operations Unit, which coordinated a broad crackdown on illicit drug activity tied to sports performance.
People close to the inquiry indicate that the group engaged in illegal drug trafficking and attempted to mask shipments of prohibited products. A key figure linked to the operation is Marcos Maynar, a physician and professor affiliated with the University of Extremadura. He was detained in the previous spring on charges related to the alleged scheme, and a judge subsequently released him after a formal statement in Cáceres. The scope of the operation appeared to extend to Maynar’s assistant, identified as an Exercise Physiology doctor, who was also taken into custody.
In the ongoing investigation, eight individuals have been named, each assigned specific roles within the network. Their tasks included obtaining chemical components that were used to manufacture prohibited substances, with menotropin identified as one of the components used in the doping cocktails. The plan involved leveraging the University of Extremadura facilities to serve clients who were identified by other members of the ring.
According to reports, Maynar is accused of directing training cohorts for athletes and supervising nutritional regimens that allegedly incorporated banned drugs. The so-called cocktails were designed with the aim of increasing the client’s chances of success in competitions, a detail highlighted by investigators as central to the alleged wrongdoing.
Another figure linked to the case in the Basque Country is Ángel Vázquez Iglesias, who faced a doping ban from 2007 to 2010 but ultimately participated in certain events before the suspension period ended. Investigators note that Iglesias may have recruited minors and a small provincial swimming federation to act as clients for Maynar’s operations. The operation, initially named Ilex, is part of a broader inquiry that also involves prominent riders including the Colombian cyclist Miguel Ángel López, commonly known as Superman, and connections to the Astana team’s cycling circuit. The Cáceres case forms a crucial node in the probe, which continues with international cooperation to trace the distribution of prohibited substances across borders.
The investigation remains active, with security forces from other countries contributing to the inquiry and pursuing the network’s international drug shipments. The evolving case sheds light on how banned substances could flow through sports organizations and training facilities, raising ongoing questions about governance, oversight, and the integrity of competition. The legal process continues to unfold as authorities seek further evidence and testimonies to map the full extent of the conspiracy and its impact on athletes and sporting communities. [Source: EFE]