FRANCE: FRENCH PROSECUTER INVESTIGATING ALLEGED USE OF PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS IN TOUR DE FRANCE FREES ITALIAN CYCLIST RODOLFO MASSI

Record ID: 639790

  • Title: FRANCE: FRENCH PROSECUTER INVESTIGATING ALLEGED USE OF PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS IN TOUR DE FRANCE FREES ITALIAN CYCLIST RODOLFO MASSI
  • Date: 31st July 1998
  • Summary: LILLE, FRANCE (JULY 31, 1998) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. EXTERIOR OF COURTHOUSE 2. POLICE TRYING TO BLOCK ENTRANCE AS CASINO TEAM LEADER RUDOLPH MASSI AND TEAM DOCTOR NICOLAS TERRADOS ARE LED INTO COURT. 2. SLOW MOTION REPLAY OF MASSI NEAREST THE WALL AND FURTHEST FROM CAMERA RUNNING INTO THE COURTHOUSE 3. EXTERIORS OF PALACE OF JUSTICE IN LILLE 4. LAWYER BERNARD GORNY WHO IS ACTING FOR SPANISH ONCE TEAM DOCTOR NICOLAS TERRADOS SAYING THE DOCTOR ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS OF THE JUDGE AND GAVE THE SAME INDICATIONS THAT HE HAD ALREADY GIVEN THE POLICE. THE INVESTIGATING MAGISTRATE DECIDED TO FREE HIM (FRENCH) 5. GORNY AND TERRADOS ON STEPS OF PALACE OF JUSTICE. GORNY SAYING THAT HIS CLIENT IS A PRESTIGIOUS SPANISH DOCTOR FULLY AWARE OF THE PROCEDURES TO BE ADOPTED IN TRAINING. (FRENCH) 6. TERRADOS LEAVING BY CAR 7. LAWYER ERIC DUPONT MORETTY WHO IS ACTING FOR MASSI SAYING THAT HIS CLIENT HAD BEEN PLACED UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR PRODUCTS THAT WERE FREELY AVAILABLE IN ITALY. FOLLOWING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FESTINA AFFAIR, THE PRODUCTS WERE NOT EVEN HIDDEN (FRENCH) 8. MASSI LEAVING BY CAR 9. FRENCH PROSECUTOR GERARD VISONNEAU SAYING THAT BOTH TERRADOS AND MASSI WERE FREED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE JUDICIAL AUTHORITIES. THEY MUST NOT FREQUENT OTHER CYCLISTS. TERRADOS MUST POST BAIL OF 100,000 FRENCH FRANCS AND MASSI MUST PAY 50,000 FRANCS. IN ADDITION MASSI MUST TRANSFER HIS RESIDENCE TO FRANCE WITHIN ONE MONTH AND SURRENDER HIS PASSPORT.(FRENCH) 10. CUTAWAY 11. VISONNEAU SAYING WE WILL HAVE TO INTERVIEW CYCLISTS OF ONCE AND AS CONCERNS MASSI WHO IS BEING INVESTIGATED FOR THE (ALLEGED) IMPORT OF SUBSTANCES WE WILL HAVE TO INTERVIEW THE CASINO TEAM 12. EXTERIOR OF PALACE OF JUSTICE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 15th August 1998 13:00
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  • Location: LILLE, FRANCE
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVAV8BYRF11ZKCM8H2LATND0EE3
  • Story Text: A French prosecutor investigating alleged use of performance enhancing drugs in the Tour de France has freed Italian cyclist Rodolfo Massi and Spanish doctor Nicholas Terrados, but warned he will have to interrogate members of the Casino and Once teams.

    Massi and Terrados face general charges of facilitating the use of drugs during a sports events charges that he imported and sold drugs.

    Both men were released on Friday (July 31) afternoon, but Terrados had to pay 100,000 francs ($16,500) bail and Massi half that much.

    Corticoids were found in Massi's room and undisclosed banned products were seized in the ONCE team bus, police said.

    Deputy prosecutor Gerald Visonneau told reporters all riders from the ONCE and Casino teams would be called in for questioning by authorities sometime during August.

    Massi, of the Casino team, was withdrawn from the race before Thursday's stage as he prepared to celebrate winning the King of the Mountains title.He was taken in for questioning by police on Wednesday night.

    Terrados was the third doctor placed under investigation during the Tour after those of the Festina TVM teams.

    Despite the continuing police probes, the race went on as planned with 13 men.
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