Ban reduced, but no absolution

In recent weeks some stories about blood treatments in football have been published. In Germany, England and Norway, treatment with own blood seems to be widespread. The method is called PRP – Platelet-Rich-Plasma therapy. It will help athletes to recover faster and to cure injuries. In 2011 WADA took the method from the doping list. But a recent study shows that the method could have performance-enhancing effects.

There are still no blood tests in German football. And football officials are still reluctant to introduce them. The German Süddeutsche Zeitung reports today (not online yet) that there has been a meeting between some federations of team sports and the National Doping Agency NADA. Allegedly there is not enough money for blood tests in football.

Star of German Bundesliga – a client of Fuentes?

We are launching our site fussballdoping.de in english – it’s called soccerdrugs.com. Although the use of drugs in soccer is a worldwide phenomenon, we didn’t find an english site reporting on this issue. We think it’s time to start.

Three weeks from now, the case against Eufemiano Fuentes is going to start, at January 28. More than six and a half years passed since there has been a raid of the house above, in Calle Caídos de la División Azul, where Fuentes gave blood transfusions to his athletes. According to the spanish justice the trial will take two months, up to 35 witnesses will be called to give evidence under oath. Will spanish football be in the spotlight?

The Fuentes trial starts next Monday in Madrid. More and more media report on Fuentes' connections to football, which have been mentioned from time to time before. The british Telegraph yesterday wrote one more time about a trace which leads to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Doping is useless in football, because the technical skills are too important. Do you believe in this explanation – or is it a myth?Perikles Simon: