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Raimondas Rumsas' wife freed on bail Posted: Friday October 11, 2002 7:11 AMBONNEVILLE, France (AP) -- An investigating judge agreed Friday to free the jailed wife of Lithuanian rider Raimondas Rumsas, detained for carrying suspected doping products the day her husband placed third in the Tour de France, the woman's lawyer said. Judge Franck Guesdon was expected to free Edita Rumsas on Friday afternoon after ordering she pay 20,000 euros (US$19,600) in bail, said Veronique Coudray, adding that her client has been authorized to return to Italy, where she lives. Lawyers for the 28-year-old mother of three had filed a demand on Tuesday to have their client freed. She was detained July 28, the final day of the Tour de France, by French customs agents near the Mont Blanc tunnel as she prepared to enter Italy. She was detained for carrying drugs that could be used for doping. Her husband, riding for the Italian team Lampre, placed third in the Tour, won by American Lance Armstrong. Edita Rumsas was placed under investigation -- a step short of being charged -- for "offer and help in using doping products in an organized band." Raimondas Rumsas, who was suspended by Lampre after his wife's arrest, has denied taking banned substances. All his tests at the Tour de France came back negative. He said the products in his wife's car were destined for his mother-in-law. An expert on drugs, Gilbert Pepin, told investigators that of the 54 products analyzed, 32 of them were on a dozen medical prescriptions, the newspaper Le Monde reported this week. He said that he identified testosterone, growth hormones and six syringes containing the endurance-booster EPO, according to Le Monde. All three products are banned by world cycling's governing body, the International Cycling Union. The expert also told investigators that the "seized quantities of products ... are not sufficient for the intensive doping of a whole team, but seem to correspond to the treatment of one person," according to Le Monde. The daily said that Pepin's comments were contained in a report to the investigating judge. The rider has been called in for questioning by French police but has refused to travel to France for fear of being arrested. Last month, he was questioned by Italian police in the presence of French investigators. French police Sunday detained members of the Lampre team who were in France for the Paris to Tours cycling race. They were released later the same day, after undergoing questioning. |
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