Claire Wilson
LE MONDE has been hit with a 315,000 euro damages bill after it linked Real Madrid and Barcelona to a notorious doping doctor.
The Spanish supreme court ordered the French newspaper to pay the Madrid team 300,000 euros, and Barcelona the remaining 15,000 euros following an article published in December 2006.
It wrote that it had seen handwritten notes by Eufemiano Fuentes over ‘preparation plans’ for the two teams.
The doctor had previously been found guilty of endangering public health and given a suspended jail sentence in the Puerto cycling case.
Le Monde had appealed to the supreme court after provincial courts ruled in favour of the Spanish teams.
Barcelona had sued for the same amount as Madrid but received less due to a technical oversight in its complaint.
Oh dear,
why am I not surprised at the verdict from a Spanish court.
That nasty little doper Contador was excused by the Spanish Cycling authorities but correctly banned by the International Association. I doubt if all those who paid the notorious doctor for his ‘work’ will ever be known.