Abel Antón
Encyclopedia
Abel Antón Rodrigo (born 24 October 1962 in Ojuel, Soria
) is a Spanish
long-distance runner. He won gold medals in the marathon at the 1997
and the 1999 World Championships in Athletics
. In 1998 Antón became the first Spanish runner to win the London Marathon
. He also won the 10.000 m title at the 1994 European Championships in Athletics
.
In 2006 Abel Anton was implicated by Spanish professional cyclist and whistleblower Jesus Manzano
in the doping ring that was the focus of the Operacion Puerto
doping investigation by the Spanish Guardia Civil. Manzano alleged that Abel Anton together with former 5,000-metre champion Alberto García
and Spanish 1,500-metre athlete Reyes Estévez
were in a hotel where Eufemiano Fuentes
, the Spanish sports doctor at the centre of the alleged doping ring, was claimed to have been offering consultations. Manzano went on to declare, in an interview with Italian online cycling journal Tuttobiciweb, that these athletes were all "with Fuentes". Alberto Garcia later served a two-year ban after having tested positive for EPO
in 2003.
Soria
Soria is a city in north-central Spain, the capital of the province of Soria in the autonomous community of Castile and León. , the municipality has a population of c. 39,500 inhabitants, nearly 40% of the population of the province...
) is a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
long-distance runner. He won gold medals in the marathon at the 1997
1997 World Championships in Athletics
The 6th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece between August 1 and August 10, 1997. In this event participated 1882 athletes from 198 participant nations...
and the 1999 World Championships in Athletics
1999 World Championships in Athletics
The 7th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Estadio Olímpico, Seville, Spain, between the August 20 and August 29....
. In 1998 Antón became the first Spanish runner to win the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
. He also won the 10.000 m title at the 1994 European Championships in Athletics
1994 European Championships in Athletics
The 16th European Athletics Championships were held from 7 August to 14 August 1994 in the Olympic Stadium of Helsinki, Finland.-Track:1986 |1990 |1994 |1998 |2002 |-Field:1986 |1990 |1994 |1998 |2002 |-Track:1986 |1990 |1994 |1998 |2002 |-Field:...
.
In 2006 Abel Anton was implicated by Spanish professional cyclist and whistleblower Jesus Manzano
Jesús Manzano
Jesús María Manzano Ruano is a former Spanish professional road racing cyclist. He is famous as the whistleblower of systematic doping within his cycling team and his statements led the Guardia Civil to conduct the Operación Puerto investigation around the sport doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.-Cycling...
in the doping ring that was the focus of the Operacion Puerto
Operación Puerto doping case
Operación Puerto is the code name of a Spanish Police operation against the doping network of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, started in May 2006, which resulted in a scandal that involved several of the world most famous cyclists at the time.Media attention has focused on the small number of...
doping investigation by the Spanish Guardia Civil. Manzano alleged that Abel Anton together with former 5,000-metre champion Alberto García
Alberto García
Alberto García is a Spanish long-distance and cross-country runner.-Career:Garcia's top-level athletic career took off when he was already approaching his thirties. He first came to prominence with a gold medal in the 5000 metres at the Mediterranean Games at Bari in 1997...
and Spanish 1,500-metre athlete Reyes Estévez
Reyes Estévez
Reyes Estévez López is a Spanish 1500 metres runner. He won the European Championships' final 1998 in Budapest...
were in a hotel where Eufemiano Fuentes
Eufemiano Fuentes
Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes is a Spanish sports doctor best known for being implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case.Fuentes was once an athlete. He then became the team doctor of Team ONCE, Amaya and the Kelme. The former Kelme rider Jesús Manzano accused Fuentes of being involved with doping....
, the Spanish sports doctor at the centre of the alleged doping ring, was claimed to have been offering consultations. Manzano went on to declare, in an interview with Italian online cycling journal Tuttobiciweb, that these athletes were all "with Fuentes". Alberto Garcia later served a two-year ban after having tested positive for EPO
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
in 2003.