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Belgian super team denies doping links amid police inquest

Belgian super team Quick Step firmly denied links to doping practices on Thursday after police arrested a dozen people following raids which netted large quantities of banned doping products.

The prosecutor's office, after initially saying the raids were on homes of members of the Quick Step team, refused to name any of those arrested, the team who employed them or the type of products uncovered.

Quick Step spokesman Alessandro Tegner claimed no team riders were involved, and that their forced implication, by the Belgian authorities, should prompt public outcry as the country prepares to go to the ballot box.

"I've contacted all our riders and not one of them has been questioned by police," he said.

"This is not and should not be branded a Quick Step affair. It's about doping in Belgium, which obviously concerns amateur riders but has nothing whatsoever to do with Quick Step," Tegner said. "There was been a mix-up with both the communication surrounding this affair, and its reporting by the media. This has unjustly tarnished our reputation."

He added: "The timing of these searches, three days before the federal elections, should prompt major a few questions."

Tom Janssens, spokesman for the public prosecutor, said earlier: "Ten raids were carried out this morning and, in different locations, investigators seized large quantities of doping products. A dozen people were arrested."

"These people are currently being questioned. Some meetings are also being organized by the federal police. An examining magistrate will then decide if these people have to be placed in provisional detention," Janssens said.

According to Belgian media, several amateur riders were among those arrested.

One of the team's trainers, Johan Molly was taken in for questioning but he was later released.

Tegner added: "Johan was quickly released, and the police had nothing to charge him with. And nothing was found at his home."

He later released a statement denying all of the claims made by the prosecutor's office.
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