The trial in the “Prova Limpa” case reached another chapter today when the former sports director of W52-FC Porto, Nuno Ribeiro, was questioned and insulted the former owner of the disgraced Portuguese club. This case gained international fame in 2022 , because it brought with it so many consequences. In addition to the UCI revoking their UCI license, the case led to the suspension of almost every single one of the 12 riders – including former Volta a Portugal winners Ricardo Mestre, Rui Vinhas, João Rodrigues and Amaro Antunes, as well as other senior figures such as Joni Brandão and José Neves.
Ribeiro himself, who had already been suspended as a driver in the 2000s (with a Volta a Portugal removed from his palmarès), was banned for a full 25 years for possession, administration and trafficking of banned substances. With nothing left to lose, the statements that followed further opened eyes to the inner workings of the team.
Nuno Ribeiro asked to make a statement in the absence of all the defendants. He claimed he had been under massive pressure and threats from team owner Adriano Quintanilha and said that Quintanilha had approached him three times in the past to “take all the blame” in exchange for $2,000 for two years euros per month. Nuno Ribeiro first read out a statement before making his statement in which he said: “I didn’t feel like a criminal. I was weak because I gave in. I should have said no. I’m sad and I’m sorry “I know how wrong I was and I apologize to society, to everyone, but especially to my athletes,” he said emotionally.
Agência Lusa quoted the former manager as saying: “I never had money for doping, nor did I incite doping. It was and always is Mr. Adriano who did it. Adriano sponsored these doping practices with thousands of euros” before he turned to Adriano Quintanilha: “He was a dictator and a master of manipulation. He knew everything, wanted to win at all costs and said: ‘I pay to win and I win’. He said that to the cyclists’ faces and threatened them. The atmosphere was hellish,” he said.
The former sports director of W52-FC Porto assumed that doping was normal in the cycling team, but assures that he never encouraged it and that it was Adriano Quintanilha who promoted, supported and paid for the doping practices. He said that the boss of W52-FC Porto “paid the cyclists an additional amount every month” to buy the substances and that the strategy was to “disguise these payments in the form of fictitious benefits”, such as: B. paying for meals or mileage.
After mentioning this plan, the defense requested the lifting of banking secrecy on an account belonging to the AC Várzea Clube de Ciclismo, the Sobrado club sponsored by Quintanilha’s company.
This statement lifted the veil a little from someone who has supposedly always claimed not to know what was going on. After all, Adriano Quintanilha has gone from being presumed innocent to being the suspected ringleader of the doping system and will have to answer many unanswered questions.
How can cycling organizations improve their anti-doping measures to prevent future incidents like those involving W52-FC Porto?
Introduction:
As the trial in the “Prova Limpa” case reaches another chapter today, former sports director of W52-FC Porto, Nuno Ribeiro, who had been suspended earlier, is accused of involvement in doping practices by the team’s former owner, Adriano Quintanilha. What are your thoughts on this latest development in the case and its implications for the world of cycling? How seriously does this case affect public perception of the sport overall?
Section 1: Doping in Cycling
Guest 1: How prevalent do you think doping is in the world of professional cycling, and what measures do you think need to be taken to combat this issue?
Guest 2: What role do team owners play in promoting or discouraging doping practices within their teams, and how can we hold them accountable for any such actions?
Section 2: W52-FC Porto’s Involvement
Guest 1: Can you comment on the allegations against W52-FC Porto and the impact this case has had on the club’s reputation and future in the sport?
Guest 2: What kind of oversight is needed from governing bodies to ensure that clubs like W52-FC Porto follow proper Anti-Doping procedures?
Section 3: Nuno Ribeiro’s Testimony
Guest 1: What is your reaction to Nuno Ribeiro’s testimony, in which he claims to have been under immense pressure from Quintanilha and ultimately gave in to his demands?
Guest 2: How significant is it for someone in a position of authority within a cycling team to come forward and admit their involvement in doping practices? Does this change the overall approach to addressing doping in the sport?
Section 4: Adriano Quintanilha’s Involvement
Guest 1: Does the new evidence against Quintanilha change your perception of him as a sports leader and sponsor?
Guest 2: Are there any lessons to be learned from this case about the need for greater transparency and accountability within sports organizations?
