Bernard Sainz, the French sports medicine advisor, has been handed a two-year sentence – with one year suspended – for illegal practice of medicine, and the use of prohibited substances or methods in the context of a sporting event.
The 82-year-old will serve a year of his sentence under an electronic tag.
Sainz, who describes himself as a 'naturopath' and who has a long history of involvement in cycling, will also have to pay a €20,000 fine and is banned from engaging in any sporting activities. He was acquitted, however, of incitement to doping.
Sainz, who is known as 'Dr Mabuse', was placed under house arrest for a year in 2022 and has been barred from practising medicine after being found guilty of illegal practice of medicine and incitement to doping in 2013 and 2017.
"If someone wants to dope, they don't need me, they can find it all on the Internet," Sainz told the court during his trial in March, where he appealed against his 2022 sentence.
"I have a different vision [than that of] to traditional medicine, I treat the cause and not the symptoms."
His involvement in cycling dates back to the 1970s, though he has never held a medical degree or worked as a doctor in any official capacity. In the 1970s he advised several riders, including one rider whom he gave 'a second youth' to be able to win Paris-Nice. Since then, Sainz has been involved in advising other riders, most famously Frank Vandenbroucke and several riders from Cofidis and Française des Jeux in the 1990s.
More recently, Sainz has been the subject of several journalistic investigations by Le Monde, the television programme Cash Investigation, and a book called The Masked Cyclist.
According to L'Equipe, the investigations prompted further police investigations, including wiretapping, hidden camera surveillance and searches. The newspaper cites conversations between Sainz and several cyclists – including Peter Pouly and Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier – as major evidence in his recent trial and conviction.
L'Equipe reported that Sainz has told Pouly, "you're going to do Kenacort [corticosteroids]", while discussing "syringes" with Lecuisinier.
Sainz will be banned from any sporting activities as a result of his latest conviction. He is not expected to appeal the sentencing.
