On Friday a criminal case described as one of biggest doping scandals and doping rings in Portuguese cycling ended with court convictions and prison sentences for the CEO and Sports Director of the disgraced semi-pro cycling team W52-FC Porto.

According to the presiding judge, prosecutors clearly demonstrated former W52-FC Porto CEO Adriano Quintanilha funded, approved and directed widespread doping activities within the team until 2022 when anti-doping police conducted raids. Also, team Sports Director Nuno Ribeiro was found to be complicit in the doping activities since he purchased, distributed and instructed riders on how to use the banned products.

Now Adriano Quintanilha (AKA Adriano Teixeira de Sousa) and Nuno Ribeiro will each spend 4 years and 9 months in prison for trafficking prohibited substances and methods, unless their convictions are overturned on appeal.

Other criminal defendants in the case including former W52-FC Porto riders Joao Rodrigues, Rui Vinhas, Ricardo Mestre, Samuel Caldeira, Daniel Mestre, Jose Neves, Ricardo Vilela, Joni Brandao, Jose Gonçalves, Jorge Magalhaes and Andre Freitas were all handed shorter suspended prison sentences. The judges commented, “The cyclists were part of the team and joined the plan. Even so, not as high [in the organization] as the other defendants. Some [riders] confessed [to doping activities]. Their sentences are much lower because they were the only ones who were risking their health. They were the weakest link in this chain connected to doping.”

Photo Credit: W52-FC

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