Harrington accepts task of restoring faith in sport

New chief vows to clean up a sport tarnished by doping investigations

British Cycling’s new chief executive has vowed to restore faith in the nation’s elite riders, which she admits may have been tarnished by ongoing doping investigations.

Julie Harrington will arrive at an organisation whose credibility is in tatters according to Damian Collins MP, the chairman of the culture media and sport select committee.

The governing body has been criticised by UK Anti-Doping for failing to keep proper records of drugs given to riders.

Meanwhile, the Sunday Times reported that a delivery of banned testosterone patches was made to British Cycling headquarters in 2011 having been ordered by Dr Richard Freeman, who is at the centre of UK Anti-Doping’s investigation into the contents of a jiffy bag delivered to Team Sky during the Criterium du Dauphine.

The Sunday Times quoted British Cycling’s former head of medicine, Dr Steve Peters, saying he had been told by Freeman that the delivery of the patches was an administrative error and said they were returned to the supplier, who acknowledged fault for the delivery.

Harrington, the former group operations director at the Football Association, said: “Making sure the reputation of our athletes is clean and that they are seen to be achieving success in the right way is paramount, and we owe that to our athletes.

“We are committed to making sure that our athletes are able to represent themselves strongly in that way.”

Controversy has dogged Sir Bradley Wiggins since Russian hackers Fancy Bears revealed documents last September that showed he had received TUEs (therapeutic use exemptions) for triamcinolone to coincide with his three biggest races in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Harrington insisted British Cycling’s successful broader remit must also be protected during this troubled period for the domestic sport.

Meanwhile, Team Sky rider Geraint Thomas has backed the team’s principal, Sir Dave Brailsford, following a report some riders were considering asking him to resign in the wake of doping allegations that have recently affected the team.

Picture: PA. Team Sky principal, Sir Dave Brailsford. The team is currently the subject of a UK Anti-Doping investigation into whether there was any violation of anti-doping rules in 2011 when a package was delivered to Team Sky at the Criterium du Dauphine race....