World cycling chief calls Sky ‘cheats’ over drugs regime
Demand for new probe after MPs’ devastating findings
have to put this in the context of the time — the grey zone was too big and it seemed that this grey zone has been used by Team Sky at the time. So, is it doping? Is it just using the rules? That is why the MPs’ report just says they were not breaching the rules.’
On Tuesday Sutton told Sky Sports that it was time for Wiggins and former Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman to ‘tell the truth’.
Lappartient responded to that by saying: ‘I think we need to know more about all these stories, there are still some grey zones, even in this report. I saw that Shane Sutton asked Wiggins to tell the truth. So what does that mean?
Asked if he agreed with the MPs that Team Sky had ‘crossed the ethical line’, Lappartient replied: ‘It’s in the report. You can see that substances were used not for health problems or with strong pain but to increase your performances. That is unacceptable for me and the philosophy we have, even if it seems there is no breach, no violation of the rules.
But he added: ‘If you are using substances to increase your performances I think this is exactly what is cheating.’
A UK Anti-Doping investigation into Sportsmail’s revelations about the Jiffy bag, delivered for Wiggins at the end of a race in the French Alps in 2011, was unsuccessful because of a lack of medical records.
Asked if he would like to know what was in the Jiffy bag, Lappartient smiled: ‘Of course, in the Dauphine in 2011. But you know, probably all of them, they lost their memory.
‘Nobody seems to remember what it was in the Jiffy bag. They lost everything. It’s probably because they don’t want to know, or don’t want to say, what’s in the Jiffy bag.’
On Froome he said: ‘It would be a disaster for the image of cycling, even if on a legal point of view he has a right to ride.
‘For the image of our sport that could be a disaster. It would have been better for him not to ride.’
And asked if Brailsford should resign, he replied: ‘I think he has to take the best decision for cycling in Great Britain.
‘I saw all the statements on this in Great Britain that damaged Team Sky, damaged cycling and we know how strong cycling is. I’m just thinking about the millions of fans riding their bikes, enjoying cycling, I don’t want them to go away from our sport.’
A Team Sky statement said: ‘Team Sky is happy to co-operate with any investigation by the UCI and we would welcome further scrutiny of the Select Committee’s report. While we have acknowledged past failings, we strongly deny the very serious new allegations about the use of medication to enhance performance, as does Bradley Wiggins.’
“Froome in the Tour would be a disaster for cycling’s image” — UCI PRESIDENT DAVID LAPPARTIENT