Spanish press hits back at doping claims
Afp, Madrid
The Spanish press hit back on Friday at reports from Le Monde newspaper that claimed four top Spanish football clubs were linked with Dr Eufemiano Fuentes who is alleged to have masterminded a vast blood-doping network.The four clubs in the firing line are Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Betis and Valencia. Fuentes denied the Le Monde report, which was written after one of the newspaper's reporters procured documents containing allegations which have as yet been unfounded. However in a separate interview with the newspaper Fuentes claimed that Barcelona, the current European champions, had tried to employ him on two separate occasions. "France accuses" and "shows no proof," said Spanish daily newspaper Marca, which published a photo of a football pierced by a syringe. "Either they reveal it or leave us in peace," added the paper which has close contacts with Real Madrid. The editorial of AS sports newspaper said the "non-published" facts "that Le Monde considers proof (...) I imagine them to be false." Barcelona newspaper El Periodico said that: "When a newspaper as prestigious as Le Monde points the finger at teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Real Betis, it should have more solid proof than photocopies of hand-made notes (...) written by a doctor which half the planet believes to be a cheat."
| 
