Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

Shane Sutton says Richard Freeman has “got himself into something deep” as medical tribunal continues

Former British Cycling technical director says doctor is lying and sees Sutton as “a way out”

Shane Sutton has again denied that testosterone sent to the National Cycling Centre in 2011 was intended to treat his erectile dysfunction. He says that Dr Richard Freeman, who is facing a General Medical Council (GMC) tribunal over the matter, “has got himself into something deep here and seen me as a way out.”

The GMC has laid 22 charges against Freeman, the former British Cycling and Team Sky doctor. He has accepted 18 – including ordering the banned substance Testogel in 2011 – but denies “knowing or believing it was to be used by an athlete to improve performance.”

Freeman has said that he was bullied into ordering the drug by former British Cycling and Team Sky performance director Shane Sutton to treat his erectile dysfunction.

Appearing at the tribunal last November, Sutton vehemently denied this and then stormed out, saying, “I don’t need to be dragged into this shit fight.”

"I'm still surprised by his testimony as we saw each other as friends," Sutton told the Telegraph this week. "In 2017, he even visited my house to check that my mum was okay and now he comes out with all these lies."

Freeman has admitted lying to UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) during its investigation into the delivery of Testogel and this week admitted abusing his position by persuading an employee of medical supplier Fit 4 Sport to cover his tracks.

Asked for confirmation the drugs had been returned to Fit 4 Sport by his then boss, Team Sky and British Cycling's former medical director, Dr Steve Peters, the BBC reports that Freeman “compromised” Trish Meats, a manager at the firm, by getting her to send an email saying the drug had been sent in error and subsequently returned.

Freeman told the hearing he had in fact taken the Testogel home, "cut open the sachets and washed them down the kitchen sink."

He said his lying, “had become a train… it was running and I couldn’t stop it".

Meats said she was under the impression the drugs had been returned without her knowledge and that she thought Freeman’s request was due to, "some internal thing at British Cycling. I had no idea what [the Testogel] was, and we'd never sold it before."

Commenting on the case, Sutton said: "He has got himself into something deep here and seen me as a way out. Sadly for him, people don't believe him any more because his lies have been proven actually to be lies. The story changes every time he is questioned.

"I feel sad for him because deep down he's a great guy and a good doc. He's been mixed up in something here and I'm guessing the truth can't come out for one reason or another."

Upon hearing that the Testogel had been delivered to the Manchester velodrome, Freeman said Sutton had "exploded." He said Sutton had told him: “Don't drag me into it or you'll be sorry – and I don't just mean losing your job.”

Earlier in the week, Freeman told the tribunal that he had destroyed a laptop after watching a TV programme showing how hackers could hack computers remotely to extract information.

The laptop was a replacement for one he claimed had been stolen from him while on holiday in Greece in 2014, and which contained medical records relating to British Cycling and Team Sky riders.

In 2017, a UK Anti-Doping investigation into allegations of wrongdoing at both organisations was closed due to insufficient evidence – including the records on that first laptop – being available.

The tribunal was adjourned on Thursday and is due to restart next week.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
Derk Davies | 3 years ago
2 likes

At least he won't be "in too deep" himself, according to Freeman anyway.

Avatar
Gkam84 | 3 years ago
0 likes

I don't think it was for Sutton either, but what Sutton is saying here is "I know they weren't for me because I know what it was ordered for"...

If Sutton and Freeman weren't so fecking stupid, they'd have agreed with the erectile problem story, but because they can't, it's going to have certain riders worried. If the GMC and British Cycling actually care to dig, I don't think it would be that hard to find the link to Team Sky, corruption and payoffs to officials. 

Avatar
TheBillder replied to Gkam84 | 3 years ago
0 likes

I think the phrase "the truth can't come out for one reason or another" is Sutton trying to distance himself by putting the idea of nefarious acts into our minds. I certainly wouldn't want to choose who is telling the truth - Freeman has clearly lied at times, and Sutton knows a thing or two about being in "something deep".

Avatar
Gkam84 replied to TheBillder | 3 years ago
0 likes

I wouldn't want to be libellous, so I'll just say, a rider, to avoid unmasking him, we'll use Sadly Riggings has twitchy bum syndrome just now...

Avatar
Legin replied to Gkam84 | 3 years ago
0 likes
Gkam84 wrote:

I wouldn't want to be libellous, so I'll just say, a rider, to avoid unmasking him, we'll use Sadly Riggings has twitchy bum syndrome just now...

I don't think your little ruse is an effective get out of jail card should you be sued by the person you have effectively named.

It would seem logical that the testosterone patches were for the same member of staff who the little blue pills are alleged to have been supplied for. Find that person and the riddle is solved. Fairly basic distraction techniques by Sutton though; he needs to try harder.

Avatar
crazy-legs replied to Legin | 3 years ago
3 likes
Legin wrote:

he needs to try harder.

Surely that's what the testosterone was for, to help him um... "try harder"

😂

Latest Comments