January 11, 2016 (Barcelona, Spain) – Another major sports doping scandal could burst open this month in Spain reports The Telegraph. This comes just as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is set to release the second report looking into systemic doping in certain countries; Russia has already been named, but now Kenya, China and other countries could also be named.

"Jail for Life for Dr. Fuentes" - anti-Fuentes poster seen at the 2013 Giro d'Italia. © Cor Vos

Many people have perhaps forgotten about Spain’s Operación Puerto doping scandal which began in 2006 and where some 200 bags of blood were seized by the Guardia Civil. The scandal centered around Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes who allegedly worked with many elite athletes in cycling, football (soccer), tennis, athletics and boxing. For whatever reasons, media attention was focused on the cycling with this doping scandal and only cyclists were investigated and six cyclists have been faced bans.

A ruling is expected sometime this month by the Madrid’s Provincial Court on the appeals lodged by WADA and the International Cycling Union (UCI), among others, against the destruction evidence, as ordered three years ago by judge Julia Patricia Santamaria of the almost 200 blood bags seized in 2006 – read more here.

That order was widely criticized, especially by Canada’s Dick Pound of WADA. “It’s embarrassing for Spain. Everybody knows we will be able to uncover quite a bit more doping if the examples are made available.”

Meanwhile, Canada’s Pound will likely be in the news about doping later this week when the second installment of his report on systemic doping is released. The first report, very critical of Russia, now puts Russian participation at the 2016 Rio Olympics into doubt. That report was spurred by TV documentaries aired by German station ARD suggesting that perhaps 99 percent of Russian athletes are doping at international competitions. There have also been allegations of systematic doping with Kenyan and Turkish athletes. It has also been suggestions that China will also be under the magnifying glass.