Manolo Saiz, manager of the Liberty-Seguros team has been arrested on doping charges, the Cadena Ser radio station reported on Tuesday.

"Police have arrested Manolo Saiz and the Liberty team doctor Eufemiano Fuentes on suspicion of being involved in doping," the radio said.

Saiz was reportedly detained in Spain and is not with his team at the Giro d'Italia.

"At the moment we are unable to confirm anything," a spokesman for the Liberty Seguros team said. "We have not yet been unable to contact the sporting director."

The Spanish Cycling Federation could not immediately confirm the report. Federation spokesman Luis Roman denied reports that the cycling body had launched an investigation into Liberty Seguros or filed a complaint against Saiz or Fuentes.

In February, former Liberty Seguros star rider Roberto Heras was banned for two years after testing positive for EPO. He was also stripped of his 2005 Vuelta a Espana title.

The Liberty Seguros team suspended Heras in November after the UCI announced he had tested positive in the Vuelta. The rider has always insisted that he is innocent and attributed the positive test to an error.

Before he managed Liberty Seguros, Saiz had previously directed the ONCE squad.