The French Cycling Federation (FFC) has preliminarily selected 53-year-old Jeannie Longo, who is fighting allegations of performance enhancing drug use, for the 2012 London Olympics. In November, the FFC cleared Longo of doping violations after she missed three out-of-competition drug tests. Three months later, French police arrested Longo’s husband, Patrice Ciprelli, for buying the blood booster EPO. FFC spokeswoman Isabelle Gautheron said on Tuesday that Ciprelli’s arrest should not affect his wife’s selection. “Her husband was indicted for the purchase of drugs, for personal use from what I read in the press,” Gautheron said. “[Longo] needs to try to go the Olympics. She is a competitor and will fight.” Longo has won nine world championship titles and an Olympic gold medal. She is the most decorated cyclist in French history.
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