Dec 31, 2006, 18:31 GMT
Milan, Italy - German professional cyclist Erik Zabel on Sunday called for DNA tests to be conducted in the sport.
Zabel, who is one of the most successful currently active professionals, told the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport: 'With the DNA tests we could have certainties right away, and that is what we need.
'You are not able to go forward like this because in sport it is necessary to have certainties. You are not able to go on with these doubts to the startline of a race,' he said referring to the scandal surrounding Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.
The Spanish gynaecologist's rooms were raided shortly before the start of the Tour de France and led to the exclusion of several top riders from the 2006 Tour.
One of the riders involved in the scandal is Zabel's former Telekom team-mate Jan Ullrich.
'We were together for 11 years in the same team. Then he no longer wanted me.'
He said that he had tried to get a fellow team-mate to mediate between him and Ullrich, but the former Tour winner had not been interested. 'Ullrich should have had more respect and interest for others.'
Zabel was not in the Telekom squad for the 2005 Tour and joined the Milram-Team as a result.
During the raid on Fuentes' rooms, officials found blood believed to belong to Ullrich. The German has denied that it is his blood, but has refused to supply a DNA sample to prove his innocence.
Giro winner Ivan Basso, who is also implicated in the scandal, has also refused to provide a sample. He said at the weekend that he wants to start at the Milan-San Marino race in March.
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