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End of the road Virenque's career could be over, claims lawyer
Updated: Thursday November 09, 2000 5:20 AM
LILLE, France (Reuters) -- The Festina drugs trial, which closed on Tuesday after over two weeks of evidence, could mark the end of the career of French star Richard Virenque, one of his lawyers said. Vincent Speder, representing the climbing specialist, said there was no certainty Virenque would be able resume his sporting career after admitting to the court that he has used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. "This is a long road and it is likely Richard will be punished," Speder said in a closing argument asking for leniency for his client. "We still have to see if he will rejoin a team. He is in a position where he has no guarantees as to his future." Assistant prosecutor Gerald Vinsonneau told the judge on Monday that no action should be taken against Virenque, who has denied being involved in a conspiracy to supply drugs. Under French law, the taking of performance-enhancing drugs is not considered an offence. Virenque, however, still faces action from sporting bodies and faces a ban of six months to a year from the Swiss Cycling Federation, through whom he is licensed. Virenque, a five-times King of the Mountains in the Tour de France, denied for two years that he had taken any illegal drugs before admitting to the Lille hearing on October 27 that he had. "That period of his life was very tough for Virenque," said his lawyer. The eight other people charged in the case are facing suspended jail sentences and fines when the sentences are handed down. The Festina scandal started when some 40 bottles of doping substances were found in the boot of the car driven by team masseur Willy Voet before the start of the 1998 Tour de France. Former Festina team chief Bruno Roussel, who first confessed to organizing doping within the team, faces up to 18 months suspended jail sentence and a 50,000 franc (US$7,000) fine, while the prosecutor has asked for a suspended jail sentence of 14 months and a 20,000 franc (US$3,000 dollars) fine for Voet. No verdicts are expected before the end of the year.
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