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Paula Radcliffe: Admits her disappointment in the Operacion Puerto drugs scandal Operacion Puerto has caused further outrage with world record holder Paula Radcliffe suggesting the outcome could damage Madrid’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics.

Radcliffe, an outspoken campaigner against drugs in sport, said the Spanish court’s order to destroy more than 200 blood bags was an act against the prevention of world anti-doping.

It comes after Eufemiano Fuentes, a doctor specialising in sports medicine, received a suspended one-year jail term for providing blood-doping services to cyclists.

Some 211 blood bags from 35 different people – believed to include a number of athletes from different sports – were seized as part of Operacion Puerto when Spanish police raided Fuentes’ laboratory in 2006.

Radcliffe said: “The Spanish anti-doping agency is only just bringing into line its national legislation with the rest of the world to make it a criminal offence to take part in doping and to supply doping, and that was probably done to support the bid to host the Olympics in 2020.

“This certainly could have supported that a whole lot more and made it look as though Spain was being tough and coming with the rest of the world on anti-doping.

“Instead, it looks like they’ve gone against it.” The World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) is said to be considering challenging the decision, with other IOC members privately stating they believe the order will count against Madrid’s Olympic bid.

Radcliffe added: “It is very frustrating at a time when globally the momentum is moving towards supporting anti-doping in a very positive direction with the actions of USADA US anti-doping agency and the recent clean-up in cycling.

“Here the Spanish courts and the Spanish nation had a chance to really go with that and support that, and show that they were behind the anti-doping fight, and in fact they have basically gone in the opposite direction.” She said it was “vital” that the bags were preserved for analysis.

“There are 211 blood bags in question, probably relating to about 35 different people.” Radcliffe said.

“It could be massive if we could have that information and it exposed those cheats but also used the fact that we would be opening this up and exposing them as a huge deterrent.”