Spain’s anti-doping case involving Marc Soler’s father has escalated after Ciclo21 detailed an alleged August 2023 meeting with banned coach Jose Marti, as CELAD confirmed an 18-month ban for Jaume Soler Serrano while Marc remains unsanctioned.
The anti-doping case surrounding the father of UAE Team Emirates: XRG rider Marc Soler has taken a new turn after Spanish outlet Ciclo21 published a detailed reconstruction of events dating back to August 2023.
Earlier this week, Spain’s anti-doping authority CELAD confirmed that Jaume Soler Serrano, an amateur cyclist and Soler’s father, received an 18-month suspension. The sanction relates to links with banned coach Jose Marti, a figure associated with the US Postal Service doping era who is currently suspended until June 2027.
According to the new report, a meeting took place on 9 August 2023 in Adrall, near the Andorran border, involving Marti, Jaume Soler and Marc Soler.
Ciclo21 states that Spain’s Guardia Civil had placed the individuals under surveillance following anonymous complaints submitted to CELAD earlier that year.
Jaume Soler and Marti were reportedly stopped at a roadside control where officers discovered equipment including latex gloves, alcohol, a lactate meter, oxygen saturation devices and testing strips, tools commonly used in performance testing.
The publication notes there are “no direct proofs” of wrongdoing, but suggests the scenario could raise questions under anti-doping rules concerning prohibited association.
No sanction has been announced against Marc Soler, and no formal verdict has been issued regarding his involvement. The case remains under CELAD’s jurisdiction.
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