Richard Freeman case ‘stinks to high heaven’, says Bradley Wiggins

Dr Freeman was last week found guilty of ordering a banned substance in 2011

Sir Bradley Wiggins in 2015, during his time with Team Sky (Getty Images)

Sir Bradley Wiggins has called for a fresh investigation into the Richard Freeman affair but does not believe the testosterone the doctor ordered was to dope a rider.

That was the finding last week of a long-running medical tribunal into the former British Cycling and Team Sky chief doctor’s conduct, which could lead to him being deemed unfit to practise medicine.

Dr Freeman had claimed he ordered Testogel in 2011 for former performance director Shane Sutton but that was dismissed by the tribunal, leading to a frenzy of questions about who the drug was intended for and who else might have known about it.

Dr Freeman was also at the centre of the controversies surrounding Wiggins’ use of the drug triamcinolone during his career and the mystery package delivered to the Criterium du Dauphine in 2011.

Read more:

• How ‘fine margins’ – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s favourite phrase – explains Manchester United’s season
• Wolves vs Liverpool prediction: How will Premier League fixture play out tonight?
• Can I play golf under new lockdown rules?
• Cheltenham Festival 2021 day one tips and best bets

Speaking on his Eurosport podcast, Wiggins said: “This whole charge that [the Testogel sachets] were for a rider, I don’t think anyone was in that game for doing s*** like that, or stupid enough. You’d get caught the amount of times you were tested.

“What exactly happened? Someone must know. ‘Oh s***, accidentally a load of testosterone gel’s come in.’ You’re jeopardising your duty of care towards athletes, people’s kids, husbands and wives.

“People who are in there, in this great British system which has won all these Olympic medals over the years, funded by public money – that is not good enough.”

Dr Freeman is also facing two UK Anti-Doping charges regarding the Testogel and both British Cycling and Ineos Grenadiers – formerly Team Sky – have said they will cooperate with that investigation, while Sutton expressed hope it will get to the bottom of what really happened.

Wiggins said: “There needs to be more of an explanation. Who were they for then? What the bloody hell were they for? I don’t think for one minute they were for any rider. That wasn’t the type of system that was run.

“Of course, that leaves this cloud, I understand that and it makes a bloody good story as well. But this one is a bit different. There’s something else going on and someone knows something, and I don’t quite know what the hell is going on. But it needs a follow-up now.

“There should be another investigation and I think that’s probably the best way to do it.”

The tribunal resumes in Manchester on Wednesday.

Both British Cycling and Ineos Grenadiers – formerly Team Sky – have been approached for comment.

PA