Spain court orders Operation Puerto blood bags released (The Associated Press)

In a decision that could lead to the public identification of dozens of athletes suspected of doping, a Spanish court ruled Tuesday that more than 200 blood bags in the decade-old Operation Puerto case should be handed over to sports authorities for investigation. Spanish officials said, however, that no retroactive punitive sanctions could be pursued against any athletes because the statute of limitations has expired. The Madrid Provincial Court said the bags containing blood samples and plasma should be given to the Spanish Cycling Federation, the World Anti-Doping Agency, the International Cycling Union and Italy’s Olympic Committee.