Spain to hand over blood samples in Operation Puerto case (Reuters)

Blood samples stored as part of Spain’s “Operation Puerto” anti-doping probe must be handed over to authorities for investigation, a Spanish court ruled on Tuesday. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Cycling Union (UCI) and Spain’s anti-doping agency were among organizations who had lodged appeals against a judge’s decision in 2013 that the samples should be destroyed. The verdict comes 10 years after a series of police raids, known as “Operation Puerto”, seized 211 bags of blood and plasma, as well as anabolic steroids and blood transfusion equipment, from the offices of Eufemiano Fuentes, a doctor in Madrid.