The International Cycling Union (UCI) has announced the suspension of Colombian cyclist Miguel Ángel Superman López for the “use and possession of a prohibited substance in the weeks leading up to the 2022 Giro”. The international organization reports that the Team Medellín cyclist will be “provisionally” suspended pending a final decision on a final sanction.
Currently, López, 29, runs in the ranks of Team Medellín in his country after the Astana team, from the World Tour, decided in December to terminate the climber’s contract, for this same case. Superman had a contract with the Kazakh squad until December 2023.
The Colombian, who was third in the 2018 Giro and in the Vuelta of that same year and who won a stage in the Tour de France in 2020, was detained in July 2022 when he landed in Madrid within the investigation of the Ilex operation for drug trafficking, since he had dealings with Dr. Marcos Maynar.
Even so, once he made a statement, Superman López was able to compete in the 2022 Tour of Spain, where he finished fourth in the general classification.
The UCI explained that it considers that there is a “possible anti-doping rule violation (ADRV)” by the Colombian cyclist based on an investigation carried out by the International Testing Agency (ITA), “which includes evidence obtained from the Spanish police authorities (Guardia Civil) and the Spanish Anti-Doping Organization (CELAD)”, about the methods of Dr. Marcos Maynar.
“Following the review of the information and material provided by the ITA on June 26 and July 7, 2023, the Colombian rider has been notified of a possible anti-doping rule violation for use and possession of a prohibited substance in the weeks leading up to the 2022 Giro d’Italia. The UCI has decided to provisionally suspend the rider pending the final decision,” the UCI added in a statement.
