FREEMAN ‘URGED SKY TO AXE DOCTORS WHO RAISED DOPING FEARS’
RICHARD Freeman attempted to exclude three doctors from Team Sky, claiming that one of them would ‘worry himself to death’ over ‘ the uncertainty of doping in cycling’, a medical tribunal heard.
The ex-Team Sky and British Cycling medic was also accused of wanting to remove a member of staff from the team because he refused to sign up to protocols he had drawn up over the controversial use of intravenous infusions (IV).
Freeman is facing a fit-to-practise hearing over the delivery of banned testosterone to the Manchester Velodrome headquarters of both teams in 2011. He admits placing the order but denies he did so ‘knowing or believing’ that it was to be used to improve the performance of an athlete.
The 60-year- old former Bolton Wanderers medic, who has admitted 18 of 22 charges, is currently under cross- examination. Last week, the tribunal heard how former doctor David Hulse had expressed concerns over protocols Freeman was seeking to bring in following a disappointing inaugural 2010 season for Team Sky.
In a November 2010 email, Hulse questioned the ethics of the use of IV, which was banned in cycling the following spring, and voiced his concerns that the protocols could see the team potentially breach anti-doping rules.
Freeman told the hearing that his issue with Hulse surrounded alleged concerns over his care of Txema Gonzalez, a soigneur (team assistant) who died of sepsis while on duty at the 2010 Vuelta a Espana.
But Simon Jackson, QC for the General Medical Council (GMC), disputed that version of events and claimed that Freeman wanted Hulse out because of his issues with the new protocols. Jackson read out an email Freeman sent to Prof Steve Peters, the then head of medicine at Team Sky, shortly after the tragedy in Spain.
In the message, which Freeman said he would be happy to see passed to team principal Sir Dave Brailsford, he outlined how the medical team should evolve.
‘I like the idea of four to five doctors experienced in pro cycling,’ he wrote. ‘Specifically in areas such as management of infection, vomiting and recovery. I know Dr CC (Hulse) will not be able to adapt his views to reach a consensus decision fit for Sky’s purpose.’
Jackson then read out references Freeman had made about two other doctors who he did not believe should be working with Team Sky. While Jackson did not disclose their names, Freeman confirmed they were Roger Palfreeman and Simon Roberts.
Reading the email, Jackson had said that Freeman had claimed Palfreeman, who worked with the 2004 and 2008 British Olympic teams, would ‘not cope with the uncertainty of doping within professional cycling and will worry himself, and the team, to death’.
‘ The second ( Roberts) is a cycling nut first. He is not what Team Sky would need to move forward and put Sky in a place to compete to win and a friend of Dr CC (Hulse).’
When asked about the email Freeman described Palfreeman as ‘a worrier’ and said of Roberts ‘cycling nuts with stethoscopes was not the way forward’.
He added: ‘We wanted docs who knew how to deal with elite sportsmen. Some just want to get close to the stars. He was an A&E doctor, a friend of CC (Hulse), and certainly not an appropriate member of the team.’ Jackson alleged that Freeman wanted Hulse to leave because he had ‘plans to develop the team in a particular way’. ‘You saw Dr CC (Hulse) as a bar to that progress,’ he added, a claim Freeman denied. The hearing
continues.