Astana team joins legal action after tweets about Biological Passport
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Fabio Aru (Astana)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Fabio Aru (Astana) keeps the white jersey(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Fabio Aru (Astana)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Greg Henderson on the podium(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Greg Henderson was all smiles after his win(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) talks to rival Fabio Aru (Astana)
Fabio Aru ((Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Fabio Aru’s agent and lawyer have confirmed that they will begin legal action, along with the Astana team, against Greg Henderson for the accusations he made against the Astana team leader on Twitter.
Late on the evening of April 23, just hours after the UCI Licence Commission confirmed that the Astana team could keep its WorldTour licence, Henderson took to Twitter, writing: “Sad to see @fabaro1 "sick". Mate make sure next time u come back to our sport "healthy". Aka. Clean! #biopassport! Or don't come back!”
He followed that up by posting: “I am so sick of it. It becomes common knowledge within days. Why try cheat.”
Henderson has close to 40,000 followers on Twitter.
He later apologised and removed the Tweets, writing “When you are sick. You are sick. Jumping to conclusions helps nobody. My mistake @FabioAru1. I should shut my mouth. Sincere apologies.”
Henderson was hoping that he could apologise during the Giro d’Italia but Aru made it clear to Cyclingnews before the race that he would take legal action.
Aru told Cyclingnews that he is not involved in a UCI Biological Passport case.
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With Henderson hailing from New Zealand but apparently based in Girona, Spain and riding for a Belgian-based team, it took some time for Aru’s lawyers to take action but they have now reportedly “started legal action for defamation against Greg Henderson with the competent judicial authorities.”
Alex Carera – Aru’s agent, and Giuseppe Napoleone – a lawyer often hired by Italian cyclists, revealed that the legal action has been taken ‘to protect the good name and honour of Fabio Aru and the team (Astana) he rides for.”
The legal action will be pursued in both a penal and civil court as the lawyer try to secure a financial payment for an eventually proven damages.
