MotoGP star Dani Pedrosa held over alleged exam cheating

Spanish MotoGP rider Dani Pedrosa was arrested over the weekend as part of a raid in Valencia by the Civil Guard involving a ring allegedly dedicated to helping people to cheat at exams to obtain a yacht captain’s license.

Official sources said Monday that Pedrosa was detained and questioned along with several other people. The case is being dealt with by a Valencia court and is currently sub judice.

The ring was apparently based at a naval school in Valencia, and is alleged to have passed on correct answers to exam questions through a sophisticated system that included tiny cameras and earpieces. Candidates reportedly paid between 2,000 and 2,500 euros for the assistance.

Police saw the alleged cheating taking place on Saturday from a room adjacent to where candidates were sitting the exam, in the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

The central government’s provincial delegate to Valencia, Paula Sánchez de León, confirmed that 21 people had been arrested in the operation, including four people who passed on the answers.

Pedrosa released a public statement on Monday in which he made an apology, as well as admitting that he had “made a mistake,” following “some bad advice.”

Pedrosa is a former champion in both the 125cc and 250cc categories, and is one of the favorites for the forthcoming MotoGP championship, which starts in Qatar on Sunday.