Banned US Postal doctor, linked to Marc Soler’s father, reportedly back around the peloton

José ‘Pepe’ Martí worked as a doctor for several teams, but he was handed a lifetime ban by USADA due to his ties to the US Postal Service era. Martí was alleged to have supplied riders with prohibited products such as EPO, testosterone, growth hormone, and cortisones, making him a significant figure in the Lance Armstrong case.

That lifetime sanction was later suspended, but the story did not end there. Martí was subsequently sanctioned under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, and Spain’s anti-doping agency CELAD has also been looking into him. In 2023, he was reportedly intercepted by the Guardia Civil — with Jaume Soler Serrano in the car with him.

Jaume Soler Serrano is the father of UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Marc Soler, and he has also been sanctioned by CELAD due to his links with Martí. Martí is not permitted to be active in sport while under sanction, but according to The Escape Collective, he has nonetheless been working around athletes. Normally, violating the terms of an anti-doping ban can lead to a lifetime sanction — but CELAD has not (yet) issued such a punishment.

According to CELAD’s public database, Martí is listed as sanctioned under WADA rules, but not (so far) directly by CELAD itself. It is possible a larger case is ongoing and that is why there has been no further ruling — though that remains speculation at this stage. What exactly is happening is still unclear, but it does not look good.