Miguel Ángel López loses final appeal against four-year doping ban

The UCI have confirmed that the Swiss Federal Tribunal has dismissed Miguel Ángel López’s challenge against the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) decision issued on 7 May 2025, which upheld in full the four-year doping ban imposed by the UCI on the Colombian.

López was originally sanctioned by the UCI Anti-Doping Tribunal (UCI ADT) on 29 May 2024 after being found guilty of “use and possession” of a prohibited substance in connection with the 2022 Giro d’Italia.

The UCI Anti-Doping Tribunal imposed a four year period of ineligibility from 25 July 2023 to 24 July 2027 on López, disqualification of all results obtained between 3 May 2022 and 25 July 2023, and a fine equal to 70% of his gross income from cycling for 2022. 

López appealed the UCI’s decision to CAS, though the sanction was upheld in full on 7 May 2025. He then challenged the CAS decision before the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

In his challenge to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, López argued that the reliance on evidence from Spanish authorities and the severity of the financial fine violated procedural and substantive guarantees under the European Convention on Human Rights. 

However, the UCI confirmed in a statement on Saturday that, after the Federal Tribunal dismissed that challenge on 19 August 2026, the judgement was final. 

The Tribunal found that “the CAS panel was entitled to rely on the Spanish Anti-Doping Organisation (CELAD) Evidence gathered during Operation ‘Ilex,’” concerning Dr Marcos Maynar. 

It included the interception of a parcel containing Menotropin, a prohibited substance under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited List, addressed to López during the 2022 Giro. 

The Tribunal also dismissed López’s argument that the evidence was obtained unlawfully under Spanish Law and upheld the UCI’s rule allowing a fine equal to 70% of his 2022 wages from the sport. 

The UCI concluded by welcoming the judgement and confirming that the case is definitively closed.

López, a former third-place finisher at both the Giro d’Italia in 2018 and Vuelta a España in 2017, respectively, last raced at the Tour de Panama in 2023 and will remain suspended until 24 July 2027.