BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona says Spain’s supreme court has drastically cut French newspaper Le Monde’s fine for linking it to a doctor involved in one of cycling’s biggest doping scandals.
The Spanish champions say in a statement that although Le Monde’s appeal against the club’s successful defamation suit in 2008 was rejected on Monday, the fine was reduced to $20,500, plus court costs, from $450,000.
Le Monde also was ordered to publish a copy of the court’s decision in print and online.
Le Monde wrote in December 2006 that it had seen handwritten notes by Eufemiano Fuentes over “preparation plans” for Barcelona and Real Madrid. Fuentes was previously arrested in Operation Puerto — Spain’s biggest doping investigation.
