During the reading of the judgment in the ‘Prova Limpa’ operation trial, involving 26 defendants, including former cyclists, held in a pavilion adjacent to the Paços de Ferreira Prison, the presiding judge stated that “almost all the facts” of the Public Prosecutor’s (MP) accusation were proven.
The court found that Adriano Quintanilha financed the doping substances and held the final decision-making power over them, while former cyclist Nuno Ribeiro acted as the liaison with the cyclists, acquired the illicit products, and provided instructions and guidance on the substances to the athletes. All were sentenced to suspended sentences, with two acquittals.
“The seriousness of the facts does not allow us to suspend these sentences,” justified the presiding judge.
Adriano Teixeira de Sousa, known as Adriano Quintanilha, and Nuno Ribeiro were sentenced to four years in prison for trafficking prohibited substances and methods, plus one year and nine months for administering them. The court decided to impose a single cumulative sentence of four years and nine months of actual imprisonment on both.
The court concluded that Quintanilha was one of the “elements that devised the initial plan” of doping within the now-defunct W52-FC Porto team, with the final say on payments for doping substances and methods.
Regarding Nuno Ribeiro, the panel of judges considered that “everything went through him, and he was one of the key figures in the doping scheme,” engaging in “multiple actions” such as purchasing, distributing, delivering, receiving, or preparing the substances and methods, while also giving instructions to cyclists on their use.
The court emphasized that these two defendants, due to their roles within the cycling team, bore greater responsibility, which is why their intent was considered “intense” and deserving of effective sentences.
Ex-cyclists João Rodrigues, Rui Vinhas, Ricardo Mestre, Samuel Caldeira, Daniel Mestre, José Neves, Ricardo Vilela, Joni Brandão, José Gonçalves, Jorge Magalhães, and André Freitas, judged for trafficking prohibited substances and methods, received suspended sentences under two and a half years.
“The cyclists were part of the team and adhered to the [doping] plan. However, not at the same level as the other defendants. Some confessed. The sentences are much lighter, also because they were the only ones risking their health. They were the weakest link in this doping connection chain,” emphasized the presiding judge.
Associação Calvário Várzea, the club that originated the W52-FC Porto team, chaired by Adriano Quintanilha, was ordered to pay 57,000 euros to the state and was prohibited from participating in professional or recreational cycling competitions for four years.
Speaking to journalists, Nuno Ribeiro’s lawyer announced plans to appeal, stating that this was not the expected verdict.
“If anyone truly spoke the truth in this process, it was Nuno Ribeiro. He clarified everything necessary, his confession was complete and without reservations. The panel of judges understood that Nuno Ribeiro only clarified part of the facts, part of the truth, and basically aimed to place Nuno Ribeiro and Mr. Adriano Teixeira de Sousa on the same level. This decision does not match the reality of the facts, and we will appeal,” said Tiago Máximo.
