JUST WHO WERE THE DRUGS FOR?
WHO was it for? That is the question the world of sport is asking after former British Cycling and Team Sky medic Richard Freeman was found to have ordered banned testosterone ‘knowing or believing’ it was to be used to dope a rider. The bombshell ruling, delivered in Manchester yesterday morning, triggered arguably the biggest scandal in British sporting history, raising serious questions over the staggering success of both outfits, which delivered a series of gold medals and Tour de France victories. Politicians have already called for a
full investigation, with one demanding that Sir Dave Brailsford, former performance director of British Cycling and now general manager of Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky), should be suspended until its conclusion. Another bemoaned a ‘terrible day for British cycling’s reputation’.
Former coach Shane Sutton, whom Freeman had falsely claimed was the intended recipient of the 30 sachets of Testogel, was quick to make a statement in the aftermath of the 50-page verdict.
‘It’s important to find out who the doctor ordered it for,’ said the Australian, who denied to the hearing that he bullied Freeman into ordering the gels to treat his alleged erectile dysfunction.
With the ‘athlete’ not identified, countless others will be wondering the same thing.
On a seismic day, UK Anti-Doping also confirmed they had launched an investigation into Freeman and charged him with two rule violations.
Freeman, 61, had admitted ordering the substance to the Manchester Velodrome HQ of both teams in May 2011, and subsequently masterminding a botched cover-up — a development revealed by this newspaper.
However, he denied the central allegation that he had placed the order ‘knowing or believing’ it was to be given to an unnamed rider to improve their performance.
Instead, he pointed the finger at Sutton. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel dismissed that theory, following an evisceration of Freeman’s evidence by the General Medical Council.
Freeman acted as personal doctor to Sir Bradley Wiggins when he became the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012 for Team Sky, using medical exemption certificates to enable the rider to use the banned corticosteroid triamcinolone.
Wiggins said previously: ‘I strongly refute the claim any drug was used without medical need.’
Freeman also oversaw the medical operation for British cycling teams who dominated the London Olympics in 2012 and Rio four years later.
But he came under fire throughout from GMC solicitor Simon Jackson QC. And the panel were clearly not impressed, with the ruling making it clear they were unable to find any explanation for ordering the banned product other than to dope.
Julian Knight MP, chair of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, demanded answers.
‘The finding marks a terrible day for the reputation of British cycling,’ he said. ‘It leaves a number of questions to answer.’
Former shadow sports minister and DCMS committee member Clive Efford said that until the matter was cleared up, Brailsford and other figures of authority in both outfits at the time ‘shouldn’t be anywhere near the sport’.
He added: ‘People should be suspended while this is investigated. This is staggering.
‘Cycling has been a feather in the cap of British sport for close to two decades — and now this.’
Efford said the ruling exposed Team Sky’s ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to doping as having been a ‘tissue of lies’, adding: ‘They prided themselves on having cleaned up the sport,’ he said. ‘It’s shocking.’ Efford also said the DCMS committee would meet today and discuss the next steps.
‘Any inquiry cannot be led by British Cycling,’ he added. ‘Whether its judge-led, whether we can do something ourselves, it remains to be seen. We want answers.’
Damian Collins MP, who oversaw a 2018 parliamentary inquiry which found Team Sky had ‘crossed an ethical line’, echoed Efford.
‘The case poses major questions,’ he said. ‘How could the chief doctor for Team Sky and British Cycling order a banned substance “knowing or believing” it was to help a rider cheat anti-doping rules? Was this a one-off? Who was the recipient? Why was there supposedly no supervision of what he was ordering?
‘This case is not just about the failure of one man to adhere to the rules and standards expected, but a failure of the management of the teams he worked for.’
Chair of the MPTS panel, Neil Dalton, said: ‘The tribunal had found that you, Dr Freeman, placed the order and obtained the Testogel, knowing or believing it was to be administered to an athlete to improve their athletic performance. The motive for your action was to conceal a conduct.’
Mr Dalton and his panel found Freeman’s claim he ordered the substance for Sutton ‘implausible’ and added it ‘stretched credulity that a high-profile, experienced doctor would order a potential banned substance under the World Anti-Doping Agency code yet, despite the significance, fail to make a record of the patient, the circumstances and the use’.
The ruling said testosterone was a ‘doping drug of choice for that sport’ adding when the package was found by other members of staff who raised the alarm, Freeman — who persuaded the Oldham-based supplier to provide a bogus email claiming it was sent in error — ‘was dishonest about why it had been sent, removed it from the Velodrome and it was never seen again’.
It continued: ‘Bearing in mind the breadth of Dr Freeman’s dishonesty and the number of people he had pulled into it, the tribunal found his conduct incapable of innocent explanation.
‘It was clear that, on balance, when Dr Freeman placed the order and obtained the Testogel, he knew or believed it was to be administered to an athlete to improve performance.’
UKAD acknowledged the findings, saying Freeman had been charged with ‘possession of prohibited substances’ and ‘tampering or attempted tampering with any part of doping control’.
British Cycling chief executive Brian Facer said: ‘We leave any further action to UKAD. The actions of Dr Freeman fall a mile short of the standards we expect.’
Team Ineos supported the work of the GMC but said they do not believe any athlete used or sought to use Testogel or any other performance-enhancing substance.