By Samindra Kunti
June 12 – German broadcaster ARD has aired a documentary revealing possible connections between a doping doctor and Brazilian elite football. Former star Roberto Carlos, who is among those accused, has denied all allegations.
The documentary is the work of investigate journalist Hajo Seppelt and the ARD doping editorial team. Undercover footage by ARD shows Júlio César Alves, a doping doctor in his practice in Piracicaba, northwest of São Paulo.
Alves prescribes highly potent and prohibited doping agents to healthy athletes, and helps to manipulate doping tests, according to his own account. Alves claims that he medically handles dozens of top athletes, including current Brazilian national football players.
Former Real Madrid left-back Roberto Carlos was named in the documentary, which further claimed that the World Cup winner was named in a dossier given by Brazil’s anti-doping agency to the national prosecutor’s office in 2015.
In a statement on his Facebook page Roberto Carlos has denied the allegations. “I vehemently repudiate the irresponsible accusations made by the German network ARD and reaffirm that I never used any artifice that gave me an advantage over my colleagues,” wrote the former full-back said.
“All my career I have fought for fairness and above all loyalty. The lying accusations against me are completely against the way I think. In a career spanning more than 20 years I never tested positive for any substance that would modify my performance.”
The Brazilian FA (CBF) has not commented on the issue. The documentary also highlighted the shortfalls in doping control in Brazilian football, with the vast majority of the responsible staff for the doping control not qualified to do the job.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734869873labto1734869873ofdlr1734869873owedi1734869873sni@n1734869873osloh1734869873cin.l1734869873uap1734869873