Team Ineos release statement in response to Paul Kimmage article in Sunday Independent
Ineos Grenadiers Team general manager Dave Brailsford
Team Ineos have issued a 75-word statement in response to last week’s Sunday Independent story revealing links between one of the team’s senior carers and a doctor who was sent to prison for his role in a doping ring.
Team principal Dave Brailsford refused to comment when approached on a number of occasions at the Tour de France about the revelations that David Rozman, a long-term carer at the British cycling team, arranged to meet Dr Mark Schmidt at the team hotel during the 2012 Tour. The team were also asked for comment before the publication of last weekend’s article by Paul Kimmage but they did not respond.
A statement from the team was released on Thursday night.
“Ineos Grenadiers Cycling Team is aware of recent media allegations relating to the 2012 season and a member of its staff,” it read.
“These allegations have not to date been presented to the team by any appropriate authority, however the team has made a formal request to the International Testing Agency (ITA) to request any information it considers relevant. The team reiterates its policy of zero tolerance to any breach of the applicable WADA codes, historic or current.”
The statement failed to address any of the key issues raised in the Sunday Independent story which followed on from an investigative television documentary by German broadcasters ARD that linked a Team Ineos staff member with Dr Schmidt, based on German Court documents, who was sent to prison for five years for his part in the blood-doping investigation, Operation Aderlass.
ARD could not name the Ineos staff member due to legal and privacy laws in Germany but he was identified as Rozman in the Sunday Independent last week. The Slovenia carer, or masseur, has been with the team since 2011, when it was known as Team Sky, and had been working at this year’s Tour de France.
The recent reporting has revealed details that were part of Schmidt’s 2020 criminal trial, including a number of text message exchanges between Schmidt and Rozman.
Brailsford returned to Team Ineos before this year’s Tour de France after stepping back from his role with Manchester United. Brailsford led the team through their most successful period during which they won seven Tours in eight years, starting with Bradley Wiggins in 2012.
Rozman is believed to have worked with four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome.
No Team Sky/Ineos rider has been sanctioned or named in the investigation.
