Longo's husband made '15 EPO purchases'
Patrice Ciprelli, husband and coach of French cyclist Jeannie Longo, spent around 15 000 euros onpurchases of EPO since 2007, a source told AFP on Friday, fuelling a theory of "permanent doping", a claim denied by Ciprelli.
Prosecutors in Grenoble had stated Thursday that only two purchases were made in May and June 2011 respectively, both for less than 500 euros apiece.
However, an investigation conducted by the police while Ciprelli was in custody led to the discovery of a document in his bag that contained a password through which they were able to access an online account used to make EPO orders and track his recent transactions.
The orders would then be passed to a Turkish pharmacy through companies based in Mauritius, a source close to the investigation told AFP.
"Since 2007, it's a permanent doping," the source added.
But Ciprelli's lawyer Pierre Albert hit back: "Patrice Ciprelli categorically denies this allegation from the investigators and considers that this information is misleading."
"The investigators counted the 'cancelled orders', that is to say the orders that were not accomplished. It's either dishonesty or incompetence. We are outraged!" added Albert.
He insisted that Ciprelli had made between three and five orders "at most" for a total sum "between 1 500 and 2 500 euros".
Ciprelli "is not sure to have made purchases in 2008," added the lawyer.
On Thursday, Ciprelli had acknowledged that he bought EPO "for his personal usage", according to his Albert.
In custody since Wednesday morning, Ciprelli was freed Friday morning under judicial supervision.
He is barred from his role as a professional coach and is prohibited from meeting certain people, including Michel Lucatelli, the French ski-cross tean director, to whom he was having his EPO packages delivered.
He must also ask the country's authorities for permission before leaving France.
Prosecutors opened the investigation against Ciprelli on September 14, a day after the publication of an article in L'Equipe that reported purchases of Chinese-based EPO made in April 2007.