April 30, 2007Less than a year into a three-year contract, cyclist Ivan Basso resigned Monday from the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, citing personal reasons related to an ongoing investigation into the Operación Puerto doping scandal.
Basso, winner of the 2006 Giro d’Italia, asked to be released from his contract this past weekend while meeting with General Manager Bill Stapleton and Sports Director Johan Bruyneel, according a team press release.
“This was a very difficult decision, for me and my family, but I think it is the right thing to do,” Basso said in the release. “It is important that everyone knows this was one-hundred percent my decision. Nobody asked me to leave.”
Bruyneel said the request was unexpected but that the team has taken the appropriate steps to release him.
“Ivan was a great addition to our team and I am very sad to see him go,” said Stapleton, the team’s manager, in the release. “He was one of our leaders and we expected big things from him this season.”
Basso signed last November with Discovery Channel, Lance Armstrong’s former team, after being dropped by team CSC, with whom he won last year’s Giro.
Basso, along with a number of the world’s top cyclists, was implicated in a Spanish doping scandal that shocked the cycling world on the eve of last year’s Tour de France. Thirteen of the 57 riders accused in the scandal were scheduled to race in the Tour, but all were kicked out before the start. Basso was subsequently dropped from team CSC because of a clause in his contract specifying that he could not receive medical advice from outside sources.
Operación Puerto, as the scandal is now known, erupted after Spanish police raided the residence of Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes and discovered doping products and bags of blood along with extensive records and code names. Dr. Fuentes is suspected of providing doping services to a number of athletes but the case was ultimately dropped due to the fact that Spain had no laws at the time against doping in sports.
Basso was also cleared of any wrongdoing by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in October, but his resignation comes on the heels of the case being reopened after new Spanish laws were passed that may give the CONI access to incriminating documents.
Stapleton said the team was fully aware of the allegations surrounding Basso when they signed him and at the time were confident he would be a valuable addition to the team.
“When we signed Ivan, all the necessary governing authorities had cleared him,” said Stapleton. “He deserved a team and we had always wanted to sign him. We did our due diligence and we have no regrets.”
Basso said the decision was his way of showing respect for his teammates, who had always believed in him.
“The team is trying to find a new sponsor and win bike races, and my situation is a distraction to both of those goals,” Basso said. “I am grateful to all the staff and riders and wish them the best of luck.”
Basso is scheduled to appear before CONI on Wednesday May 2, to defend the allegations against him.
It seems that the world of professional sport will always be tainted with the drug scandal
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