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UCI boss calls for investigation into Team Sky allegations

David Lappartient says claims in Select Committee's report are damaging for cycling, and also calls for speedy resolution to Froome case...

UCI president David Lappartient has said that the governing body should open an investigation into Team Sky to address the allegations contained in the report published this week by a House of Commons Select Committee examining how to combat doping in sport.

The report, compiled by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said that the UCI WorldTour outfit had crossed an “ethical line” through the use of drugs, within anti-doping rules, not for medicinal purposes but instead to enhance the performance of riders.

> Damning report from MPs slams Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky

It cited a Team Sky insider, who gave evidence anonymously, who claimed that at a training camp ahead of the 2012 Tour de France, Sir Bradley Wiggins – winner of that year’s race – and other riders took the corticosteroid triamcinolone to help improve their power-to-weight ration ahead of the race.

Lappartient, who ousted Britain’s Brian Cookson from the UCI presidency last September, with allegations of bullying and sexism at British Cycling as well as the controversy surrounding Team Sky thought to be factors in the Frenchman’s victory,  told BBC Sport’s Dan Roan that the allegations "could affect the global credibility of the sport."

He said: "If you are using substances to increase your performances, I think this is exactly what is cheating,” and would ask the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF), which operates independently of the UCI, "to see if there is some violation of anti-doping rules.

"It's sad to see that when Team Sky was launched, I remember- they say 'we will be clean, we will win races and be clean, more white than white'. We can see in this report that it seems to be a little bit different.

"We have the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation, they have the power of investigation. I would like them to do this, to see if there is some violation of anti-doping rules.”

Referring to Wiggins’ use of triamcinolone under a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) ahead of key races including the 2011 and 2012 Tour de France and 2013 Giro d’Italia, he said: "They had at the time the TUE agreement but now we have the evidence that it seems to be organised."

TUE rules have since been tightened up, but talking about the regime in operation at the time, Lappartient said: "Just by a letter of support from the doctor, then it was not so difficult to get the TUE, which is something completely different now.

"So you have to put this in the context of the time; the grey zone was too big and it seemed that this grey zone has been used by Team Sky at the time so, is it doping? Is it just using the rules? That is why the MPs' report just says they were not breaching the rules."

He added: "I read the press release from Team Sky saying 'look we apologise, we recognise that we made some mistakes'. A mistake is something you've done without an intention to be wrong. The report is a little bit different.

"It seems that it was a little bit organised, so it's maybe not a mistake but a fault, which is different, because that could affect the credibility globally of our sport and that's why I'm concerned about this."

The UCI president also spoke about the ongoing Chris Froome salbutamol case, and has previously said that the Tour de France and Vuelta champion should voluntarily suspend himself from racing until it is resolved.

"We need to have a decision as soon as possible for Chris Froome himself, for his team, for us, for cycling," he said.

"Of course, we have to respect the rights of Chris Froome to defend what he thinks and what he believes with experts. So that's why it's taking some time.

"I'm not sure we can have the decision before May's Giro d'Italia - I hope we can have it at least before the Tour de France in July because, can you imagine if he's riding the Giro and with spectators crying against him, or if at the end he's disqualified from the Giro - that's something difficult for our sport."

Both Wiggins and Team Sky have stronly denied the allegations contained in the Select Committe's report, while Froome is putting together a defence to try and explain how he came to be found with twice the permitted level of salbutam

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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37 comments

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Guerch to Church | 6 years ago
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Either a substance is band or can be used for TUE, does it offer everyone a advantage if they take it. Or does it equal the field for a athlete with a ailment, not taking them beyond certain normal vitals. A serious look has to be made into catered drugs for a athlete  with a supposed ailment. Where the drug might not enhance everybody, so it's not a known enhancement. Certain substance  can't be  therapeutic and a enhancement. So the same drug might do me good and absolutely nothing for you, and you shouldn't be talking it.

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gstuplin | 6 years ago
1 like

Thank you for taking the time to comment Doc_Davo, very informative and bang on for me. To be honest it’s the best thing I’ve read on the case. Have to cut through so much rubbish published to get an honest stand on it

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maviczap replied to gstuplin | 6 years ago
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gstuplin wrote:

Thank you for taking the time to comment Doc_Davo, very informative and bang on for me. To be honest it’s the best thing I’ve read on the case. Have to cut through so much rubbish published to get an honest stand on it

Same here, good post Doc_Davo

Really sums up my frustration with the whole report, just lazy journalists cherry picking the bits that suited their agenda.

What pissed me off was one day Dan (I hate cycling) Down interviewing Wiggins, the next day he's flown to Switzerland to interview DL and prompted him to get him to say he thought Sky  and wiggins  cheated and he'd start an investigation

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nllsam | 6 years ago
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So on tge sat so if one anonymous source Team Sky are guilty. Niw, if you look at the 2012 TdF team and try and see who was there and, potentially doped, Cav, Eisel and Eddie Bos, would not have featured. Froome says he didn't take the drug named and Richie Porte is well known for his anti drug stance. Surely, if tgere is a smoking gun or needle filled with dope, then the remaining riders who are no longer on Sky roster might be interested in immunity for testimony. Fairly simple from my point of view then we will all know tgr case is proved or can put this thing in the bin, dependent on outcome.

Smear and inuendo as well as political ambitions are a toxic combination.

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doc_davo | 6 years ago
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Oh and with that nugget DL of the UCI, why did he not mention that (I’m sure someone will correct me) over 60% of riders at the tour (obv not everyone is tested during the tour but a lot are) held TUEs at the time of testing, don’t for one instance have people believing it’s just Team Sky doing this... or does he not know that?

as was quoted ‘a lot of sick people race bikes!’

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doc_davo | 6 years ago
10 likes

There are a few things that really boil my pi$$ over this,

1) The Committee paper was to report findings on doping in sport, not just Cycling, Sky, Wiggins, and UK Athletics. The whistleblower bought circumstantial evidence implicating 150 athletes across many sports including ‘football, cricket and tennis’, naming 4 football clubs by name to the committee. One of which is Leicester city (per there written evidence response - basically, “f**k off before we sue you”)

2) The whistleblower in this instance, to kick off this committee, was none other than convicted doping recreational athlete Dan Stevens and reading between the lines (as a select committee does) his motive was because he was pissed at UKAD for not giving him a 75% reduction in ban after assisting them. (From his statement given to the committee)

3) The news agencies and media outlets reporting of what a committees ‘powers’ are, which is an ‘opinion based upon information gathered’, not ‘a judgement based on facts gathered’ - 2 wildly different thing, With a lot of people including DL of the UCI believing to be the latter.

4) The summary and key comments and conclusions of the paper do not mention Wiggins, Sky or British cycling by name - however they do refer to some serious allegation made by someone who all our friends in the cycling media have failed to report on.

5) The source for a lot of the evidence is flaky at best, and down right destructive when considering the fall out in the direction of those implicated by the media at worst , i.e. the expert witness testimony for the power of corticosteroids is David’s Millers piece from the New York Times.

6) The words spoken during select committee meetings are subject to parliamentary privileges and that no prosecution can be brought against anyone in the committee . This as wiggins said, leaves him with less rights than a ‘criminal’ in court, there is no challenging of evidence, no cross examination of evidence and no chance for rebuttals, so basically if you don’t agree with it, you’re disagreeing with parliament.

7) The Sky whistleblower is allowed to remain anonymous, again, given that the media feel judgement had been served by the committee and they can determine the sentence wigggins serves - the chance to check the integrity of the person behind the email testimony should be allowed.

8) The lack of understanding of the purpose behind the report, reason, methods married up with it’s poor quality - it had the opportunity it had the opportunity to be paradigm shifting, but due to it being to the standard of an undergrads first year coursework piece, it will implement zero change.

9) The real nitty gritty detail of the ‘evidence’ submitted has not been widely reported by the media, Nicole Cooke’s shocking claims, the aligations against other sports, the push back from WADA over the committees recommendation and the conflict between them have all come at the cost of low hanging fruit journalism. This includes David Walsh coming out in the Times with his little bit, whilst completely ignoring the TIMES vested interest in the support of the chief whistleblower.

10) 7 days earlier the committee paper into the NDA contract was published, it highlights how the overspend of the contract is now at £2.8bn, more than £550m of tax payers money was paid out to contractors for work not actually undertaken and it’s so far cost tax payers an £122m in extra taxes... the number of column inches for this in mainstream media is absolutely nothing compared to 2 individual sports have received on a report into doping across all sports.

I would advise all sports fans to actually take the time to read the summary, then conclusions, then the report and then start digging into the body of ‘evidence’ gathered by the committee and for added fun the select committee guidance notes, the bios of the select committee members and some other select committee reports rather than just rely on Dan Roan, the BBC and then all other media outlets copying those guys to tell the story.,

People would probably/maybe actually agree then that the media have nicely cherry picked their story for either their own gain or it’s been plain lazy journalism - as the real gripping stuff is in the detail, where, like the select committee you can form you own opinions on ‘doping in sport*’

*not just sky and wiggins.

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alansmurphy | 6 years ago
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Don, I'd offer up British Cycling as another team that are in the middle, quiet huh?

Also they are in the middle of one doping case are they not?

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jlebrech | 6 years ago
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It's time to have a substance allowing governing body to make it's own races, the catch put 90% of winnings into a escrow service until retirement.

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Nixster | 6 years ago
4 likes

Lapartient is playing to the grandstand.

He can call for an investigation but as the investigators are now independent he doesn't actually have to deliver one.

He also calls for clarity and restraint in Froome's case but knows that the UCI could suspend him and yet doesn't as he knows that he would be in a legal quagmire if he did.

He doesn't want a one term presidency and so is courting the good opinion of the non-anglophone voting members of the UCI who are less than entirely comfortable of the domination of the sport's major events by Sky. 

None of which makes Sky squeaky or clean but let's consider the President of the UCI's motives before taking his opinions, rather than his actions, at face value.

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john1967 | 6 years ago
3 likes

The best team is always hated the most.Sky are just the best.Get over it . I'd like to see an investigation into treks use of EPO after their rider was caught using last year.

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BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
2 likes

I've always had nothing but positive experiences when in continental Europe, more so when on bike. People take you as they find you far more than UK, US, AUS.

Had a good chinwag with local mayor and dignitaries when visiting village where my home cities troops were wiped out in WWI. They were very interested in my bike and how far I'd come, they were very happy about the fact I didn't wear a 'caskette' either. 

I've found the bike is common ground and breaks down boundaries pretty much everywhere.

Politicians AKA race organisers with money at stake are a different breed of person.

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The_Vermonter | 6 years ago
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If this forum is any indication, if the UCI found more than Parliament it would be brushed aside by many as "anti-British" or a "witchhunt" or "fake news". Is it so hard to believe that a British team could cheat just like every other nation has had doping cheats? 

I would also ask if such an investigation is good for the long-term health of the sport. In retrospect, given the money Lance Armstrong/US Postal brought to the sport and the subsequent retreat of sponsors after his ban, why risk that again? The sport is still a financial hellscape in part because they work on an early 1900s economic structure and also because the UCI loves biting the hand that feeds it. Team Sky is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. Hate them or love, cycling needs them. That said, Brailsford is a dishonest tool and I'd love to see him taken down a peg or two.

 

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fukawitribe replied to The_Vermonter | 6 years ago
2 likes

The_Vermonter wrote:

If this forum is any indication, if the UCI found more than Parliament it would be brushed aside by many as "anti-British" or a "witchhunt" or "fake news". Is it so hard to believe that a British team could cheat just like every other nation has had doping cheats? 

Personally, not all all - but regardless of what team, country or person I would want some evidence, Froomes AAF being a good example. This report is coming across as having more than a little bit of tittle-tattle around it - as Sutton said, sounds like someone has a bit of an axe to grind. There may well be dodgy goings on in Sky, but this really isn't any help either way IMO.

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psling replied to The_Vermonter | 6 years ago
7 likes

The_Vermonter wrote:

If this forum is any indication, if the UCI found more than Parliament it would be brushed aside by many as "anti-British" or a "witchhunt" or "fake news". Is it so hard to believe that a British team could cheat just like every other nation has had doping cheats? 

 

I don't think that's true. What I want is fact, not insinuation. This recent report is by a group of people enjoying Parliamentary Privilege  so there is absolutely no redress against them and it is partly based on an anonymous source making unsubstantiated accusations. Nationalities don't come into it really.

As Team Sky have now said, they would welcome an UCI investigation based on fact and based on the UCI set of rules relevant at the time of any alleged misdemeaneurs. Any outcome based on fact rather than spurious insinuations would, I believe, be more readily received by the Brits on this forum.

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doc_davo replied to psling | 6 years ago
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psling wrote:

The_Vermonter wrote:

If this forum is any indication, if the UCI found more than Parliament it would be brushed aside by many as "anti-British" or a "witchhunt" or "fake news". Is it so hard to believe that a British team could cheat just like every other nation has had doping cheats? 

I don't think that's true. What I want is fact, not insinuation. This recent report is by a group of people enjoying Parliamentary Privilege  so there is absolutely no redress against them and it is partly based on an anonymous source making unsubstantiated accusations. Nationalities don't come into it really.

As Team Sky have now said, they would welcome an UCI investigation based on fact and based on the UCI set of rules relevant at the time of any alleged misdemeaneurs. Any outcome based on fact rather than spurious insinuations would, I believe, be more readily received by the Brits on this forum.

absolutely bang on the money psling.

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psling | 6 years ago
5 likes

"UCI president David Lappartient has said that the governing body should open an investigation into Team Sky to address the allegations contained in the report published this week by a House of Commons Select Committee"

 

Well, the first thing the UCI could do is ask the Commons Select Committee for the evidence that rules have been broken.

Oh, there wasn't any....

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Jimnm | 6 years ago
1 like

The cycling cheating malarkey doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Way back to the years when used to watch Tommy Simpson it just keeps on rolling along with doping and drug abuse allegations.

its one of them, like it is and always will be!

IMO 

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fixation80 | 6 years ago
1 like

The UCI President is French, the French hate the Brits, they hurl insults and pots of pis at the Brits, what's not to love about the Brits winning the 'Tour de France'. enlightened.

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don simon fbpe replied to fixation80 | 6 years ago
2 likes

fixation80 wrote:

The UCI President is French, the French hate the Brits, they hurl insults and pots of pis at the Brits, what's not to love about the Brits winning the 'Tour de France'. enlightened.

I found the anti-Brit sentiment, when out in Europe, very easy to quash. Never really experienced it and you've gone part way to explaining why. yes

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Sniffer replied to fixation80 | 6 years ago
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fixation80 wrote:

The UCI President is French, the French hate the Brits, they hurl insults and pots of pis at the Brits, what's not to love about the Brits winning the 'Tour de France'. enlightened.

I doubt that Lappartient is particularly anti-British.  He is first and foremost a politician.  His statements on everything from motor doping to Sky are appear solely about him looking like he is doing something rather than actually doing something.  Not sure if this investigation will actually happen.

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HarrogateSpa | 6 years ago
7 likes

Lappartient comes across as a man on the make, playing to a particular anti-British gallery.

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don simon fbpe replied to HarrogateSpa | 6 years ago
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HarrogateSpa wrote:

Lappartient comes across as a man on the make, playing to a particular anti-British gallery.

I'd be surprised if it's anti-British.

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doc_davo replied to HarrogateSpa | 6 years ago
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HarrogateSpa wrote:

Lappartient comes across as a man on the make, playing to a particular anti-British gallery.

its widely thought that he has mainstream political aspirations beyond just sports.

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Thelma Viaduct | 6 years ago
1 like

Anything to do with rupert murdoch is bound to be cuntish, he's one of the biggest cunts on the planet. Up there with Bush, blair, mandelson, beckham etc

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bottechia | 6 years ago
15 likes

How very strange that the UCI  should now question the integrity of thier own TUE process ? They should defend the the fact that an approved TUE is not doping  - otherwise what's the point of the TUE sytem  .. or... they should open up their files of all riders competing on approved TUE'S for public scrutiny. This doesn't come close to Armstong, Puerto of Festina violations - so let's get this in proportion. The UCI make the rules - and wherever the line is drawn, let's not be so naive in thinking that all teams will not be riding right on that line. In the end Bradley and Sky have to be judged against the rules of the sport made by the UCI - and to date there is NO evidence of those rules have been broken. Hang in there Brad, Dave and SKY - the select committe have expressed an opinion only. - you have every right to express the opposite opinion.

 

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doc_davo replied to bottechia | 6 years ago
0 likes

bottechia wrote:

How very strange that the UCI  should now question the integrity of thier own TUE process ? They should defend the the fact that an approved TUE is not doping  - otherwise what's the point of the TUE sytem  .. or... they should open up their files of all riders competing on approved TUE'S for public scrutiny. This doesn't come close to Armstong, Puerto of Festina violations - so let's get this in proportion. The UCI make the rules - and wherever the line is drawn, let's not be so naive in thinking that all teams will not be riding right on that line. In the end Bradley and Sky have to be judged against the rules of the sport made by the UCI - and to date there is NO evidence of those rules have been broken. Hang in there Brad, Dave and SKY - the select committe have expressed an opinion only. - you have every right to express the opposite opinion.

 

problem is it’s not their TUE process, a rider from Britain could apply to The UCI, The BOA, BC, the IOC and possibly even direct to WADA for a TUE (that may not be factually true, but I think it is) as Bob Howden gave the comment that BC TUE’s had reduced in number year on year, but in actual terms of British cyclists holding TUEs it wasn’t counted as may have been issued by other bodies.

worrying thing that DL says it’s possible to cheat without breaking the rules, well that my friend means your rules are wrong!!!! 

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don simon fbpe | 6 years ago
2 likes

Quote:

If UKAD have finished their investigation, what's this team going to uncover???????

I don't understand what SKY hope to gain from all the lack of clarity and use of the unknown. I have more respect for the guys who are charged and take the punishment. The uncertainty should not be acceptable in this day and age, especially after Lance. It's almost like we've learnt nothing and SKY know that there are enough fanboys out there to keep them afloat.

There is enough doubt in my mind that they are not clean and honest.

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alansmurphy replied to don simon fbpe | 6 years ago
6 likes

don simon wrote:

 

There is enough doubt in my mind that they are not clean and honest.

 

I think I would widen that to every cycling team then go beyond to every sports team.

 

The only difference here are Sky are so huge and successful that people want to bring them down and that application of the rules and a 'moral compass' is being used to label people as guilty when there's a distinct lack of evidence...

 

 

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don simon fbpe replied to alansmurphy | 6 years ago
0 likes

alansmurphy wrote:

don simon wrote:

 

There is enough doubt in my mind that they are not clean and honest.

 

I think I would widen that to every cycling team then go beyond to every sports team.

 

The only difference here are Sky are so huge and successful that people want to bring them down and that application of the rules and a 'moral compass' is being used to label people as guilty when there's a distinct lack of evidence...

 

 

You'll have to point me in the direction of those that are also in the news for two suspicious doping cases at the moment. I only see SKY hogging the headlines. That's just my anti-Sky, Froome-hating, SirBradleyModdings-envious self.

On the back of this, I'm going to start a campaign to get Contador his titles back, you're obviosuly with me on that.

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maviczap | 6 years ago
4 likes

What proof, your office signed off the TUE, you have the paperwork in your drawer. 

An investigation prompted by Dan Roan flying out to Switzerland and firing loaded questions.

Sutton said the source wasn't telling the truth about the tour group training in isolation and Wiggins would have been tested in and out of competition, so using steroids would have been picked up.

If UKAD have finished their investigation, what's this team going to uncover???????

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