Former Sky and Rabobank team doctor Geert Leinders has been handed a lifetime ban by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USASA), Anti-Doping Denmark (ADD), and Anti-Doping Authority Netherlands (Doping autoriteit) for possessing, trafficking, and administering performance-enhancing substances.
Leinders worked with the Rabobank team until 2010, when he was hired by a fledgling Sky team. He was fired by Sky in the fall of 2012 after allegations surfaced of prior involvement with doping.
Leinders’ time as the chief doctor at Rabobank was the focus of the investigation, which began following the discovery of evidence during the course of USADA’s 2012 inquiry into doping in cycling, according to a USADA statement.
“After a hearing at which the detailed evidence, including eyewitness testimony, corroborating documentation and an expert analysis of abnormal blood values of cyclists was presented, the independent Arbitration Panel found that Leinders possessed, trafficked, and administered banned performance enhancing substances and methods without any legitimate medical need, including EPO, blood transfusion paraphernalia, testosterone, insulin, DHEA, LH and corticosteroids to athletes under his care, and was complicit in other anti-doping rule violations,” the statement reads.
Disgraced former Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen accused Leinders of being at the center of a doping program at the Dutch squad in 2013. His testimony proved vital to the ban placed upon Leinders on Thursday.
“Athlete eyewitness testimony can play an important and powerful role in the investigative process, and in this case, Michael Rasmussen’s cooperation and testimony was integral to the outcome,” said ADD Director Lone Hansen. “This case was an important opportunity for ADD to collaborate with our partners at USADA and Anti-Doping Authority Netherlands to pursue a level playing field in cycling, and we know that continued global collaboration is the only way to provide a level playing field for all athletes in all sports.”
The Arbitration Panel determined that a lifetime ban was justified by “aggravating circumstances,” namely Leinders’ leadership role in the Rabobank organization.
“As the chief team physician and a member of the board of directors for the Rabobank cycling team, Dr. Leinders occupied even higher positions of trust and responsibility,” the panel stated.
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