The Astana cycling team announced on Tuesday that it was terminating Miguel Angel Lopez's contract after "discovering
new elements showing the probable link
" between the Colombian climber and doctor Marcos Maynar amid doping suspicions.
“
Astana Qazaqstan Team has uncovered new evidence showing the probable link between Miguel Angel Lopez and Dr. Marcos Maynar.
Consequently, the team has no other solution than to terminate, with immediate effect, the contract with the rider, because of the violation of the said contract and in accordance with the internal rules of the team
. said the Kazakh team in a press release, adding that it did not want to make any further comment to preserve the rights of the team and the rider.
An "abusive and unjustified break", considers Miguel Angel Lopez
Miguel Angel Lopez, 28, third in the Giro and the Vuelta in 2018, immediately deplored, in a press release, an "
abusive and unjustified termination
" of his contract, adding that he wanted to bring the case to justice.
In this press release, the Colombian "
denies any allegation that could sully his name and his honor as a professional runner
" and "
recalls that he has never tested positive for any drug or doping product and has never been under the influence of 'investigation by any authority
'.
Miguel Angel Lopez, winner of the Tour of Switzerland in 2016 and the Tour of Catalonia in 2019, was briefly arrested on July 22 upon his arrival at Madrid airport.
According to the Ciclo21 site, this arrest was part of the investigation opened for drug trafficking and money laundering and at the heart of which is the doctor Marcos Maynar.
The Astana team had then decided to suspend its rider "
until the circumstances of the case are clarified
", before reinstating him "
provisionally
" a week later, "
in the absence of elements found by the Spanish authorities or the International Cycling Union (UCI)
".