Team Sky boss David Brailsford today hit back against growing speculation that he might be asked to step aside from his role as team principal, penning a letter to Damian Collins, the Chairman of Parliament's Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee, vigorously defending the team's record on anti-doping while at the same time admitting that mistakes were made.
In recent days, some members of the team have considered asking him to step aside, and former director Steven De Jongh, who was let go in 2012 under Team Sky's zero-tolerance policy, doubted that Brailsford could weather the storm.
However, Graham McWilliam, the chairman of Team Sky board, voiced support for Brailsford on Tuesday, writing on Twitter: "For record, TS [Team Sky] Board & Sky are 100% behind team and Sir Dave Brailsford as its leader. We look forward to many more years of success."
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The issue surrounds a report first published by the Daily Mail that raised concerns over a package delivered to the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine for Bradley Wiggins at the behest of team doctor Richard Freeman. The report sparked a UK Anti-Doping investigation to determine if Team Sky violated anti-doping rules.
"UKAD’s investigation was precipitated by a very serious allegation of an anti-doping rule violation by Team Sky at the 2011 Dauphiné. It is important to reiterate that, to my understanding, UKAD’s extensive investigation has found nothing whatsoever to support this allegation, which we believe to be false," Brailsford wrote, but acknowledged that the lack of documentation to back up their assertions is due to procedural mistakes.
"Self-evidently, the events of recent months have highlighted areas where mistakes were made by Team Sky. Some members of staff did not comply fully with the policies and procedures that existed at that time. Regrettably, those mistakes mean that we have not been able to provide the complete set of records that we should have around the specific race relevant to UKAD’s investigation. We accept full responsibility for this."
Flying Fluimucil
'A fundamental difference between process failures and wrongdoing'
- Timeline of UKAD investigation into Team Sky and British Cycling
- Cope feels 'stitched up' over role in Team Sky mystery-package saga
- British Cycling admits failures in Wiggins medical delivery
- Collins: Team Sky and British Cycling 'left in terrible position'
- UKAD reveals Freeman received delivery of testosterone in 2011
- Brailsford: Freeman gave me an injection of triamcinolone
- Thomas supports Brailsford and complains of 'unfair' media coverage
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