Dr Richard Freeman assists an injured Bradley Wiggins, then of Team Sky, during the 2011 Tour de France. The UK Anti Doping inquiry into the infamous jiffy bag has been closed.
UK Anti Doping closes Team Sky jiffy bag case
The UK Anti Doping inquiry into a jiffy bag delivered to Team Sky has reached an inconclusive end.
It has been unable to confirm what was in the bag. And because no evidence of any doping violation has been found the prospect of sanctions does not arise.
The inquiry began after the Daily Mail just over one year ago published a story about a bag being delivered to the team in France six years ago.
In October last year the Mail put it to Team Sky that a medical package had been delivered to it in France on the final stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2011.
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The team then passed the allegation to British Cycling. It asked the cycling body to refer the matter to UK Anti Doping for investigation.
The matter emerged just after the Fancy Bears Russian group hacked into WADA’s database. It released the TUE details of top sports stars across a variety of sports.
The published documents showed former Team Sky leader Bradley Wiggins availed of triamcinolone TUEs. He did so before the Tours in 2011 and 2012 and Giro in 2013.
Those details damaged Wiggins’ reputation, though the TUEs were sanctioned and he broke no rules.
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It was alleged the medical product delivered to Team Sky in the jiffy bag in 2011 was for Dr Richard Freeman. It was alleged it was for administering to Wiggins, who had just won the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Last December it emerged in the UK media that the inquiry was about to conclude the contents of the jiffy bag could not be determined. However, the matter has only be closed today.
Team Sky said the bag contained Fluimucil; an over the counter decongestant that is not banned. However, neither the team nor British Cycling could furnish records to prove that.
UK Anti Doping issued a statement today saying the matter was now closed. It remained “unable to confirm or refute the account that the package delivered to Team Sky contained Fluimucil”.
Chief executive Nicole Sapstead said: “I can confirm that UKAD does not intend to issue any anti-doping charges as a result of the investigation into the package.
"As with all UKAD investigations, our work has been thorough and extensive, and I can reassure the public that we treat every credible allegation with the utmost seriousness.
“Our investigation was hampered by a lack of accurate medical records being available at British Cycling. This is a serious concern.
“As part of their conditions to receive public funding from UK Sport and other Home Country Sports Councils, all sports governing bodies must comply with the UK National Anti-Doping Policy.
“In this case the matter was further complicated by the cross over between personnel at British Cycling and Team Sky.
“We have written to British Cycling and a copy of this letter has also been sent to UK Sport and Sport England. We have also separately written to Team Sky.
"Finally, we have referred some information to the GMC. (We) will cooperate with the GMC as necessary in respect of that information."
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