Source: Scotsman (UK) Contact: http://www.scotsman.com/ Pubdate: 29 Jul 1998 THIRD TEAM UNDER SUSPICION AS POLICE SEIZE MEDICATION A third team was caught up in the drugs scandal dogging the Tour de France yesterday, after police seized suspect medication in a van driven by officials of the Bigmat team, writes Frank Ellis. The discovery came in Chambery, on the Franco-Swiss border near Albertville, as the cyclists arrived after the 16th stage of the competition. Around 100 doses of medication were found in briefcases among the team's bags during a routine inspection by customs officials, police said. "We're talking about a small quantity of medication, tests have been undertaken to determine their nature." said Albertville deputy prosecutor Monique Hugo. The drugs were sent to a laboratory in Lyon for analysis. France Info Radio, citing unidentified judicial sources, reported that the medication was a banned substance. However, Bigmat director Stephane Javalet last night insisted that everything was above board. "I'm not worried," he declared: "We had recuperative products in the van, which is completely normal." He added that the vehicle in question was a technical van used mainly to transport cyclists' luggage. Also yesterday, police raided the hotel of TVM in Albertville, as the Dutch team continued to be investigated over the use of the banned performance-enhancing drug EPO. "We did not find anything. This search was following the one in Pamiers, during which we were not able to search vehicles," a police officer said. During last week's raid in Pamiers, banned doping substances were found and team director Cees Priem and team doctor Alexandrei Mikhailov, were arrested. Yesterday, both were placed under formal investigation by French authorities and now are likely to be formally charged. The Festina team have already been thrown out of the race for the use of EPO. while two of their former cyclists, Emmanuel Magnien and Gilles Bouvard, were released yesterday, a day after being held for questioning by Lille police. Also released from custody was Bruno Roussel, Festina's sporting director, who had been held since 17 July. Festina physiotherapist Willy Voet was released on Friday. but team doctor Eric Ryckaert remains in custody. Festina's No 1 cyclist, Richard Verenque, yesterday denied ever taking EPO or other illegal drugs. "Bruno Roussel never asked me if I wanted to take EPO under medical control, and I maintain that I never took it," Virenque told investigating judge Patrick Keil, according to a report in 'L'Est Republicain'. Meanwhile, Swiss cyclist Mauro Gianetti is to testify before a court in Lausanne over claims that he was admitted to hospital and his life was in danger after he took PFC, a haemoglobin which speeds up oxygen intake, during last May's Tour de Romandie race in Switzerland. Gianetti denies the allegations. - --- Checked-by: Mike Gogulski