Operation Puerto: WADA in possession of blood bags

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has confirmed that it and cycling's governing body the UCI are in possession of blood samples and plasma bags seized as part of the Operation Puerto case.

Last month, the Provincial Court of Madrid ruled that WADA would be allowed to examine the 211 bags obtained from the offices of sports doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

That decision came a decade after Operation Puerto revealed a doping network involving several leading cyclists.

In 2013, Judge Julia Patricia Santamaria ordered the blood bags to be destroyed, which prompted appeals from several parties.

The bags were eventually ordered to be handed over, and a joint WADA and UCI statement confirmed the samples are being held in a laboratory outside Spain.

"Following the recent decision by the Madrid Court of Appeal to provide access to the stored Operation Puerto blood and plasma bags of athletes from cycling and other sports, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) can confirm that, alongside the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), it is now in possession of samples of the blood and plasma bags; and that, the samples are stored in a WADA-accredited laboratory outside of Spain," a WADA statement read.

"WADA and the UCI will continue their joint investigation into Operation Puerto, and will consider all possible legal options."