There is still on Festina rider being detained in Lyon. A French rider is now being held under suspicion that he is involved in more than just EPO usage. It is alleged that he is involved in a network of drugs which produce a "cocktail" of products for younger riders based on caffeine, cocaine, amphetamines and heroin. It is also alleged that he may have something to do with a racket that is stealing drugs from hospitals.
Later today, it was revealed that Pascal Herve is suing four media organisations. Gilbert Collard, a lawyer has taken on the case against France 2 TV, and the newspapers France Soir, l'Equipe and Nouvelle Republique for naming him in in relation to the wider involvement in drugs. He said in an official statement that: "Pascal Herve has asked me to pursue legal action against these press organs for defamation, the assertions being without foundation. They have implicated him in an affair which does not concern him."
TVM remains in the Tour - for the moment
In his press conference on Friday evening, Jean-Marie Leblanc told the press that he cannot do anything specific at this stage about TVM because there isn't new official material available at present. He said that they organisers of the Tour de France and the UCI are "watching developments concerning the TVM team very closely. If it is known that this team has not respected the rules and ethics of cycling, it will be excluded immediately."
The French Sport's Minister Marie-George Buffet has released a statement following the call by the influential daily, Le Monde for the Tour to be abandoned which said: "The Tour is gravely ill, but we should not kill it."
On Friday night, Cornelis (Cees) Priem and the Russian doctor Andrei Michailov were officially arrested and brought before a Judge in Foix (Southern France) under suspicion of providing performance-enhancing drugs to the team riders. The prosecutors now confirm that they have taken drugs from hotel rooms and team cars of the TVM squad. A large sample of drugs has been taken and it is being examined before official word is given. The drugs have Russian labelling on the packaging.
Jan Ullrich interview
Yellow jersey holder Jan Ullrich gave an extended press interview after Stage 12 yesterday and called for tighter drug controls. He also said that he would donate his winnings to fight the drugs problems. In his interview he said: "The events of the past few days have made me very sad. You look forward for your whole life to wearing the yellow jersey and now you can't even enjoy it. The riders want tougher controls. I would even contribute all the money that I win here to ensure that there are more controls. We're working like crazy out there and then something like this happens and all anybody talks about is doping. The Tour is the biggest cycling event in the world and it should stay that way."