Belgian police find doping products in raids

BRUSSELS, June 7 (Reuters) Belgian police raided 10 homes of cyclists and team assistants across the country today and found a large quantity of banned doping substances, Belgian prosecutors said today.

Prosecutors in the western town of Kortrijk were questioning 13 people in connection with the findings and would decide in the afternoon whether to press charges.

''A large quantity of doping products has been found,'' a spokesman said. ''I cannot confirm any names or the names of any team or what the products were.'' He added that the investigation had started in response to information received from a Belgian member of parliament who had claimed that he had evidence of doping in Belgium.

Belgian team Quick Step, which includes former world champion Tom Boonen and Olympic and reigning world champion Paolo Bettini, said they were unaware of the searches.

''I have just spoken to Tom Boonen a few moments ago and, as far as he was concerned, there have been no raids on his house,'' Quick Step spokesman Alessandro Tegner told Reuters.

''I have also spoken to some other riders and they have been training and unaware of anything going on. We will have to wait and see what the prosecutors say,'' he added.

Quick Step was plunged into controversy when ex-rider Johan Museeuw, a former world champion, admitted at the start of this year that he had used drugs to enhance his performance.

Museeuw, currently public relations officer for the team, faces a criminal trial later this month.

REUTERS SAM VC1740