The whistleblower behind a Sunday Times investigation into doping centred on a London-based doctor who allegedly supplied banned drugs to athletes is believed to be amateur cyclist Dan Stevens, who was handed a 21-month ban after failing to provide a urine sample in January 2014.
> British cyclist Dan Stevens to serve 21 month doping ban
The 39-year-old’s suspension was reduced from the usual two-year ban that applied then due to his provision of “valuable anti-doping information” to the UCI’s Cycling Independent Reform Commission, according to a UK Anti-doping (Ukad) statement at the time, reports Telegraph.co.uk.
His ban expired on 1 November 2015 but when contacted by the Telegraph yesterday evening, he said: “I'm sorry, I can't talk about this."
The Sunday Times claimed yesterday that Dr Mark Bonar had supplied banned performance enhancing drugs to athletes including Premier League footballers and British Tour de France cyclists.
> Doctor reportedly helped British Tour de France cyclists dope
Ukad said that it lacked jurisdiction to investigate Dr Bonar since he did not come under the umbrella of any sporting organisation, leading the whistleblower to contact The Sunday Times.
The newspaper secretly filmed conversations between the physician and an athlete it sent to him, as well as undercover reporters.
The government has said it has launched an investigation into Ukad’s handling of the case, including why it did not refer the allegations to the General Medical Council (GMC) and there have also been calls for the agency’s director, Nicole Sapstead, to resign.
The Omnyia clinic in Knightsbridge, south west London, where Dr Bonar has rented consulting rooms for the past 18 months terminated its professional services agreement with him on Friday.
In a statement, it said it had done so “upon learning from the Sunday Times that the GMC had revoked Dr Bonar’s licence to practice medicine in the UK.”
It also said: “We can find absolutely no trace of a single high profile sportsman or woman who has been treated or been seen at the clinic by Dr Bonar.”
Dr Bonar denied the allegations on Twitter yesterday, saying they “are false and very misleading. I have never had a relationship with any premier football club or player.”
He added: “I have never prescribed Androgen therapy for the purpose of performance enhancement. I treat symptomatic men with low Test levels.”
Regarding the revocation of his licence, he tweeted this afternoon: “My licence was temporarily revoked on Mar 23rd due to a revalidation issue which I am currently resolving. I have not practiced since then.”
Road.cc constantly trying to outrage us with a horrible thing someone said about cyclists is just exhausting. It's lowest-quality clickbait crap.
Whilst your own sneer-klaxon is still in full working order I see. Have you automated it or do you really really enjoy the anticipation of...
I have a Nightrider and it's all reflective from the hips down at the back. Yes the Phantom is black from below the shoulder blades but the arms...
correct. the advisory cycle lane marking sadly has no effect and drivers attempt to pass while there is oncoming traffic. such road marking is...
Calls for Oxfordshire transport chief to resign blocked...
Depends how you ride them. The current trend among many pros is to ride in a track style looking down at the front wheel. Ok for racing on closed...
That one was completely different though, it was a driver not a car as in the other 3. So 1 in 4 of the stories manage to follow reporting guidelines.
Absolutely they could have. Tarmac is a petroleum-based product and its surface can be very oily when it's newly laid. This is particularly the...
I'm glad the article went into more detail and cleared things up, the headline had me worried that some autonomous building had run rampant and...
Still here, just showing a few signs of wear and tear. Hopefully still serviceable for some years to come.