New cycling drugs crisis for Team Sky
TEAM SKY and British Cycling are facing an unprecedented scandal after evidence emerged suggesting an order for a banned substance was made from the National Cycling Centre in Manchester in 2011. Sportsmail understands that a General Medical Council investigation into Richard Freeman, the former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor, has obtained evidence that testosterone patches were ordered from the velodrome, which remains the HQ of Sky and British Cycling. Evidence uncovered by investigators suggests a request was also made to the medical supplier to send an email stating the package had been sent in error. Testosterone is a banned substance with a history of abuse in cycling, including by Lance Armstrong. All parties declined to comment.
TeAM SKy and British Cycling are facing the biggest crisis in their history after it emerged that investigators may have found evidence that an order for a banned substance was made from the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.
Testosterone patches were delivered seven years ago to the velodrome which remains the hQ of both the national governing body and Team Sky.
Sportsmail understands a General Medical Council investigation into Dr Richard Freeman, the former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor, has obtained evidence that suggests testosterone patches were ordered. A further request was then made to the medical supplier in Oldham asking them to send an email saying the package had been sent in error.
That sensational allegation was made during what is an ongoing GMC investigation into Freeman, sparking concern among leading figures in the sport that the patches may have been ordered with the intention of using them for performance enhancement.
Testosterone is a banned substance, but has a long history of abuse in cycling. It was a drug of choice for Lance Armstrong among others, with athletes favouring it not just for its performanceenhancing effectiveness but because it remains such a difficult substance to detect by anti-doping agencies when it occurs in the body.
If the GMC have obtained proof that testosterone patches were ordered, it will eclipse any doping scandal so far in British sport.
For Team Sky and British Cycling, it could prove hugely damaging even after the Sir Bradley Wiggins Jiffy bag controversy and the current situation surrounding Chris Froome’s adverse analytical finding at the Vuelta a espana last September.
Last March the Sunday Times revealed that UK Anti-Doping investigators had found evidence that Freeman had taken delivery of a batch of testosterone patches at a time when the doctor worked for Team Sky and British Cycling.
Dr Steve Peters, formerly head of medicine at British Cycling but still the psychiatrist at Team Sky, told the Sunday Times the patches had been sent in error and were returned to the supplier. Freeman told UK Anti-Doping officials that they were not for use by riders.
‘I was with a colleague when the order arrived and it was immediately brought to our attention,’ Peters said. ‘Dr Freeman, responsible for ordering medical supplies, explained that the order had never been placed and so must have been sent in error. he contacted the supplier by phone and they confirmed this. I asked Dr Freeman to repack and return it to the supplier, and to make sure they provided written confirmation that it was sent in error and had been received.
‘That confirmation arrived and was shown to me by Dr Freeman. I was satisfied that this was simply an administrative error and it wasn’t necessary to escalate it further and so (then British Cycling performance director) Dave Brailsford was not made aware.’
To date a copy of the confirmation document shown to Peters has not been made public.
In November Sportsmail revealed the identity of the supplier, Fit 4 Sport Ltd, and the fact that British Cycling intended to sever their ties with the company because the Oldham based firm had refused to co-operate with their investigation into the delivery of the testosterone patches.
Julie harrington, the new chief executive of British Cycling, said: ‘As part of our internal investigation we invited Dr Freeman and our national medical supplier, Fit 4 Sport, to contribute and we were disappointed we didn’t get any co-operation. We will be reviewing our supply partner.’
It seems Fit 4 Sport Ltd have been more co-operative with UKAD and the GMC.
A Parliamentary committee last year said the reputations of Team Sky and British Cycling were in tatters after UKAD chief Nicole Sapstead revealed that, in the course of their Wiggins medical package investigation, they had discovered that Freeman had not
kept proper medical records. In November, Sapstead said: ‘Our investigation was hampered by a lack of accurate medical records being available at British Cycling. This is a serious concern. We have written to British Cycling and a copy of this letter has been sent to UK Sport and Sport England. We have also written to Team Sky.’
That letter to Team Sky has so far not been made available after two Freedom Of Information requests from this newspaper were submitted to the national anti- doping agency. While the GMC’s investiga- tion will focus on Freeman’s conduct as a medical practitioner, UK anti-Doping may then need to examine any new evidence given the regulations over possession of banned substances by athlete support personnel.
Freeman resigned from British Cycling in October, citing illhealth for being unable to face possible disciplinary action
There was no response to our questions yesterday from either Freeman or Fit 4 Sport Ltd.
But Team Sky said they ‘won’t comment on an ongoing GMC investigation’, while British Cycling echoed that position. ‘The General Medical Council are investigating matters referred to them by both UK anti-Doping and British Cycling. We continue to support these investigations and have responded to requests for information. While the GMC is looking into these concerns it would not be appropriate for us to comment,’ said a spokesman.
UKaD declined to comment, while a spokeswoman for the GMC said: ‘I am not able to comment on an ongoing investigation.’