Robert Heras is suing the Spanish Cycling Federation and Spanish Sports Council for a reported 1 million euros for loss of earnings, after the Spanish Supreme Court overturned test results from the 2005 Vuelta a Espana, wherein the Spanish rider tested positive for EPO.
The Spanish radio station, Onda Cero, reported today, that Heras’s attorneys filed a suit yesterday, that’s based on lost earnings and endorsements. Onda Cero also indicated, that a newly enacted anit-doping law in Spain, prohibits such claims from being filed.
The former Kelme, US Postal and Liberty Seguros rider, has always maintained his innocence – following both federation’s decision to strip him of his fourth Vuelta tittle.
Heras’s legal action, has been brought via Spain’s civil court system, rather than through the sporting judicial system.
In 2011, a legal tribunal in Valladolid ruled in favor of Heras, based upon Heras’s legal team’s presentation that the testing process was flawed. According to their ruling, there were a number of irregularities, to include the mishandling of test samples and problems with the chain of evidence.
In turn, the Spanish federations challenged the verdict. However, Spain’s Supreme Court rejected their appeals, and upheld the decision of the lower court – clearing Heras of the doping ban. And, therefore, reinstating Heras as the winner of the 2005 Vuelta.
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