In May 2003 it was announced that Garcia had tested positive for the banned blood-booster Erythropoietin (EPO), following a control carried out on 29 March 2003 at Lausanne after the 2003 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. For this he received a two-year ban from competition.[2]
On 9 December 2010 García was arrested and questioned in relation to his involvement in a Spanish athletics doping ring as part of Operation Galgo, an investigation being carried out by the Guardia Civil.[3] On release from questioning he strongly denied to the press that he had engaged in drug trafficking.[4]