Martí's lifetime ban suspended by USADA

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The lifetime ban of former trainer for the USPS and Discovery Channel teams Jose "Pepe" Martí, has been suspended and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) case against him will now go to arbitration.

On July 10, as the result of anti-doping rule violations in the United States Postal Service (USPS) Cycling Team Doping Conspiracy, Martí was hit with a lifetime period of ineligibility. He was charged with delivering doping products "including EPO, testosterone, human growth hormone (hGH) and cortisone from Valencia, Spain to locations where the riders were living in Europe including Nice, France and Girona, Spain and at training camps and cycling races", and assisting with the administration of "EPO, saline infusions for avoiding detection by drug testing and in transfusing blood to riders".

According to a USADA statement, Martí, through his lawyers, did not notify them of his wish to move the case to arbitration before the deadline to respond was imposed. Instead, he informed the Agency at a later date.

"USADA believes that anyone charged with a doping violation should have the opportunity to have a full, fair, public hearing in accordance with the rules where all of the evidence will be presented and witness testimony will be given under oath in front of an independent group of arbitrators who ultimately decide the case.

"In an effort to ensure Mr. Martí has the opportunity to fully exercise his rights under the rules; USADA has agreed to move forward with arbitration in Mr. Martí's case," the statement reads.

Lance Armstrong's former team manager, Johan Bruyneel along with team doctor Dr Pedro Celaya both opted to take their case to arbitration.