A Government inquiry into claims that a doctor prescribed banned drugs to 150 athletes, including British Tour de France riders, has been sparked - it is reported - by allegations from a 39-year-old amateur cyclist, Dan Stevens, leading above.
An amateur cyclist from the UK who had his doping ban reduced has been identified as the source of new explosive claims that a doctor doped 150 athletes including British Tour de France riders.
An exposé in The Sunday Times yesterday claimed Dr Mark Bonar prescribed a range of banned performance enhancing drugs to sports stars in pro soccer, cycling, athletics, tennis, cricket, weight lifting and more.
Dan Stevens, a 39-year-old amateur cyclist banned for failing to supply a sample for a test in January 2014, has been named in the British media as the source of the claims.
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He had his 24-month ban reduced after UK Anti Doping said he has supplied “valuable anti-doping information” and the Cycling Independent Reform Commission “therefore recommended that Mr Stevens’ period of ineligibility be reduced to a period of 21 months”.
The Sunday Times did not name its source but explained that after he was banned he supplied information about Dr Bonar, claiming he was the medic who put him on a programme of drugs.
The newspaper claimed its source supplied a statement to UKAD along with what he said were prescriptions for EPO and human growth hormone.
I have never prescribed Androgen therapy for the purpose of performance enhancement.. I treat symptomatic men with low Test levels
— Dr Mark S. Bonar (@ZenGrifter) April 3, 2016
The @SundayTimesNews allegations are false and very misleading. I have never had a relationship with any premier football club or player. — Dr Mark S. Bonar (@ZenGrifter) April 3, 2016
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The Sunday Times explained in its extensive report yesterday that after its source – now identified in other media outlets as Stevens – contacted UKAD to blow the whistle he became concerned over a number of months that his information had not been acted upon.
The newspaper said its source contacted UKAD again to express that concern and was told he needed to make a statement and supply physical evidence.
Yesterday’s reports said he then followed up that request, supplying prescriptions he said were written by Dr Bonar who denies wrongdoing.
However, in January 2015 The Sunday Times source received an email from UKAD stating the evidence supplied had been investigated and that no grounds for action against Dr Bonar had been found.
It appears the source now said to be Stevens became frustrated and approached The Sunday Times, having read its coverage around doping in sport.
Working in conjunction with German TV channel ARD/WDR – with which it has previously cooperated on doping stories including its athletics exposé of last year – The Sunday Times said it sent a German runner to meet with Dr Boner.
And during that meeting, which was secretly recorded, the newspaper said Dr Bonar prescribed EPO to the aspiring runner, warning him it was banned and to micro dose.
The doctor allegedly said he was recommending the drugs to right the runner’s low hematocrit.
The reports claim the runner desisted efforts by Bonar to administer EPO at one of their appointments but that he left the surgery with prescriptions from the doctor for the human growth hormone Genotropin and DHEA, which the newspaper described as a steroid hormone.
When the revelations emerged yesterday the UK Government responded by ordering an inquiry into the allegations of inaction by UKAD.
An element of that inquiry is that the agency allegedly failed to pass on the substance of the claims to the General Medical Council which has jurisdiction over doctors in Britain.
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