Doping 'doctor' charged with further offences

Bernard Sainz, who has already been convicted for inciting cyclists to cheat with drugs, was on Wednesday charged with further doping offences, a court source told AFP.

Sainz, nicknamed "Dr. Mabuse" (Dr. I offend) but who claims ot be an alternative medicine therapist, was arrested on Monday.

He was brought to Paris and charged with offences that include "practising medicine illegally" and "inciting athletes to use banned doping substances or methods". In both cases he was also accused of being a repeat offender.

In 2016, Sainz was secretly filmed by French TV giving doping instructions to cyclists. These included instructing his "patients" on the use of EPO (a blood-doping agent) and clenbuterol (a steroid).

Sainz, 74, is not a qualified doctor but describes himself as "a specialist in gentle medicines".

He has had repeated brushes with the law.

In 2013, he was fined 3,000 euros ($3,500) in a case linked to horse doping. The following year, he was sentenced to two years in prison, of which 20 months were suspended, for incitement to dope and practising medicine without a licence.

This September, he was sentenced to nine months in prison for inciting amateur and semi-professional riders to cheat, a conviction he is appealing, said his lawyer Stephane Mesones.