Ciprelli found guilty of illegally buying and importing EPO
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Patrice Ciprelli and Jeannie Longo in Grenoble(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Rhône-Alpes) celebrates her 57th national championship.(Image credit: Fabrice Lambert/sportbreizh.com)
Patrice Ciprelli has been sentenced to one year suspended prison term for importing EPO. Ciprelli is the coach and husband of French cyclist Jeannie Longo.
The sentence was issued by the Correctional Court of Grenoble at the request of the public prosecutor. According to the AFP news service, the latter asked for a "warning penalty" so that Ciprelli would not "benefit from having dragged" the case on so long. The investigation started five and a half years earlier, with a trial finally held in January.
Ciprelli was convicted of smuggling and importing prohibited merchandise, specifically 33 boxes of EPO, bought from 2008 to 2011. In addition to the suspended sentence, he must pay a €5800 fine, €5000 to the French cycling federation and €2000 in court costs.
Longo, now 58, won World titles from 1985 to 2001, in both the time trial and road races. She has won 59 national titles, as well as setting the hour record in 2000 and winning Olympic gold in 1996.
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