‘No clear evidence’ in ‘nonsense’ case against Freeman

CLAIMS Richard Freeman ordered banned testosterone to dope a rider are ‘a nonsense’ and suffer from a ‘ total absence of evidence’, the tribunal into the former Team Sky and British Cycling medic heard.

On the penultimate day of the much- delayed hearing that has rocked the sport, Mary O’Rourke QC, acting on behalf of the doctor, attacked t he General Medical Council, who have brought the fitto-practise case. She said Freeman was ‘not the slippery, duplicitous monster’ the GMC had suggested, and claimed their argument contained ‘guff’.

Freeman, a key figure in what became known as cycling’s Gold Medal Factory, admits ordering 30 sachets of banned testosterone to Manchester Velodrome in 2011.

However, he denies that he did so ‘knowing or believing’ the Testogel would be used to improve an athlete’s performance. Instead, he claims he was bullied into placing the order by former coach Shane Sutton, and that it was used to treat his erectile dysfunction. Sutton has angrily denied both claims.

‘The fact he named Shane Sutton, knowing he was a bully, having been scared of him, likely proves he [Freeman] was telling the truth,’ said O’Rourke. ‘Shane Sutton was not an easy target because he was a loudmouth and a bully.’

O’Rourke also attacked the GMC for not being able to prove the identity of the intended recipient. ‘Unless there’s a document saying “I intend to do something”, or he tells his wife or colleague “I intend to use i t to dope Sir Bradley Wiggins or whoever”, you haven’t got clear evidence or intent. If we don’t know who he is getting it for, how can we deduce that it was for performance enhancing?’

O’Rourke branded the GMC case ‘a total mess’ which ’goes nowhere’ and said elements of it are ‘utter desperation’. ‘ After 10 weeks of hearing evidence, Dr Freeman does not know what their case is,’ she added. ‘The charge is nonsense in circumstances where no name is given. There is no evidence that it is for a man down the road who has erectile dysfunction or a bodybuilder in the gym.’

O’Rourke also lambasted her counterpart, Simon Jackson QC, for his approach. ‘ At times he [Freeman] was like a contestant on Mastermind being unfairly put on the spot,’ she said. ‘This is a man who has mental health issues. He was not the slippery, duplicitous monster that the GMC suggested.

‘He has refused to admit these charges because he says he didn’t do them. The denials are valid.’

Jackson dismissed O’Rourke’s claims that he had tried to argue late in the day that the testosterone was intended to be given to Sutton to be passed to a rider. O’Rourke will finish her argument on Friday.