Former Cyclist Roberto Heras To Receive €724,000 In Compensation For Doping Ban

Former professional cyclist Roberto Heras will receive €724,000 ($791,500) "in compensation" as the Spanish Supreme Court confirmed the sum after Heras' "doping sanction was overturned," according to Nigel Wynn of CYCLING WEEKLY. The Spaniard, now aged 43, was banned from competition between '06 and '08 after "failing an anti-doping test for banned blood-booster EPO on the day of the 2005 Vuelta a España's final time trial." He was ejected from the Liberty Seguros team, and "his overall victory in the race was later erased." After successfully appealing against the Spanish cycling federation, the latter "took the case to the supreme court." However, the move "did not go in the Spanish cycling federation's favour," and the Supreme Court upheld the decision. After "assessing the damage" caused to Heras' career and earnings, the court ordered the Spanish state to hand €724,000 to Heras as compensation (CYCLING WEEKLY, 5/8).