TenisVal Academy Ends Relationship with Doctor Linked to Lance Armstrong Doping Scandal

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When Lance Armstrong was on top of the world dominating the sport of cycling for seven Tour de France victories, many people profited immensely from his success. The sport of cycling itself, his sponsors, his teammates and his doctors. But once society decided to knock Armstrong off the pedestal they were so eager to build for him, almost everyone linked to Armstrong seemed to experience a dramatic reversal of fortune.

The only exceptions were Armstrong’s corporate sponsors. They made their profits and tossed Armstrong aside and left relatively unscathed. But former teammates, including some of those who snitched on Armstrong and were still involved in the sport, suffered from public humiliation if not the loss of their jobs.

But it was Armstrong’s doctors who were especially demonized by allegations that they systematically prescribed and/or administer erythropoietin (EPO), anabolic steroids, human growth hormone (hGH) and various prohibited doping methods (such as blood doping / transfusions).

Luis Garcia del Moral was considered one of the top sports medicine doctors in Spain. He had established quite a reputation in no small part due to his previous relationship with Armstrong.

According to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Luis García del Moral was also one of three doctors who provided anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to Lance Armstrong. He worked with U.S. Postal during five of Armstrong’s Tour de France victories.

Garcia del Moral’s clinic, the Instituto de Medicina del Deporte, counted dozens of elite athletes from various sports as its clients. Now, many of his clients and partners are “shunning” the once-popular doctor according to a report by John Leicester of the Associated Press.

Pancho Alvarino, the owner of the TenisVal tennis academy in Valencia, acknowledged that the academy’s relationship with Garcia del Moral was abruptly terminated based on the allegations of doping put forth in USADA’s doping investigation involving Armstrong and the U.S. Postal team.

Alvarino told the Associated Press that there was no indication that Garcia del Moral helped any TenisVal player obtain or use anabolic steroids and/or other doping products during the 14-15 years that Garcia del Moral worked with the academy.

Alvarino maintained that TenisVal academy players consulted Garcia del Moral for laboratory blood testing, physiologial testing and treatment for injuries. The doctor helped create customized training protocols for each player as well. But doping was never part of the conversation according to Alvarino.

“I would have denounced the doctor, as well as the player,” Alvarino said. “After Armstrong’s news, no player from TenisVal has (had) contact or any kind of relationship with him.”

The once-highly regarded sports medicine doctor has denied all doping charges by USADA.

Source:

Leicester, J. (November 14, 2012). Tennis players shun Spanish doctor. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2012/11/14/tennis-players-shun-spanish-doctor