Spain to maintain doping fight beyond Puerto trial

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Spain's sports authorities are vowing to maintain their campaign to clean up the country's reputation for widespread doping as the long-awaited Operation Puerto trial reaches its midway point.

Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and four other defendants are facing charges they endangered the health of cyclists by allegedly helping them cheat through blood transfusions, but anti-doping watchdogs are also interested in the large amounts of evidence not being presented at Madrid's Criminal Court.

Ana Munoz, head of Spain's anti-doping agency, told The Associated Press that "when the trial finishes, this is not over'' because she will support the World Anti-Doping Agency's request for the court to hand over the more than 200 blood bags for analysis.