Sky troubles could harm true heroes
THE former head of British Cycling fears that the Team Sky controversy will cause ‘collateral damage’ and risks tainting the reputations of innocent riders.
Peter Keen, who led cycling’s governing body from 1997 to 2004 before becoming director of performance at UK Sport, called on Sir Dave Brailsford, his successor at British Cycling, to give a better explanation of why Sir Bradley Wiggins needed three Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) to take triamcinolone, a drug which has a history of abuse in cycling.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: ‘The need now for conclusive explanations and evidence is greater than ever. It’s collateral damage. When I look at people like Jason Kenny or Dame Sarah Storey, these are stories that are so special because they are ordinary people who have done extraordinary things.
‘I have never sensed anything about them that says what we have seen isn’t the absolute real deal.
‘Where there’s confusion and doubt about a very high-level performance sport, linked to a programme they are a part of, my greatest fear is whatever’s led to this discussion, the wider achievements of people like that are overlooked. That would be an absolute tragedy.’
Team Sky have had a close relationship with British Cycling, sharing staff and facilities at the national velodrome in Manchester.
Former British Cycling president Brian Cookson was on Team Sky’s supervisory board, as is British Cycling chief executive Ian Drake.
Drake is set to step down from his role in April, following Sportsmail’s revelations about the mystery medical package that was delivered by British Cycling coach Simon Cope to Team Sky after a race in France in June 2011 — and which is now the subject of a UK Anti-Doping investigation.
Asked if the relationship between British Cycling and Team Sky was too close, Keen said: ‘Yes. Having a much clearer distinction between the two is important.’
Speaking before news broke of Drake’s departure, Keen insisted that the British Cycling CEO has done an ‘outstanding job’, but added: ‘Undoubtedly through his leadership, mistakes were made. They’re uncomfortable and I know it hurts Ian.
‘Some of the underlying mechanisms are clearly not fit for purpose and that’s painful to have to acknowledge as I was part of the journey that led to that.’
LANCE Armstrong was labelled a ‘coward’ after withdrawing from a sports conference in Dublin yesterday due to a pending court case. Interviewer Ewan MacKenna tweeted: ‘His coward-like quality and lack of apologies (are a) constant theme.’