Former British Cycling physician Richard Freeman banned for 4 years for breaking anti-doping guidelines

Former British Cycling and Team Sky physician Richard Freeman has been banned from all sport for 4 years for violating anti-doping guidelines.

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) mentioned he had 30 sachets of a testosterone gel delivered to the National Cycling Centre in Manchester in May 2011 and lied about it.

The watchdog mentioned the National Anti-Doping Panel choice to ban him was made in July.

Freeman was in his function at British Cycling and what was Team Sky when Bradley Wiggins grew to become Britain’s first Tour de France champion in 2012, a time when UK biking soared to the highest of the game.

The Testogel that Freeman ordered is a prescription-only treatment and banned beneath anti-doping guidelines because it comprises testosterone, which may enhance efficiency.

Freeman advised UKAD he ordered the gel for a “non-rider” member of British Cycling employees, however refused to call them on account of affected person confidentiality.

He mentioned he had requested them a number of occasions to waive their confidentiality however they refused.

However, UKAD mentioned this was false, as was his declare the gel had been returned to the provider.

In 2021, Freeman was additionally struck off the medical register after a tribunal dominated he knew or believed the gel was supposed for a rider to enhance their efficiency.

During that tribunal, he additionally admitted destroying a laptop computer with “a screwdriver or blunt instrument” earlier than giving it to specialists to look at.

He misplaced a High Court attraction towards being struck off in January.

The newest choice by the anti-doping panel mentioned it was glad Freeman had “intended to make available to one or more of his athletes the prohibited substance delivered to the Manchester Velodrome”.

His ban run from 22 December 2020, when he was provisionally suspended, to 21 December 2024.

British Cycling chair Frank Slevin mentioned the organisation had supported the investigation and that Freeman’s conduct “bore no resemblance to the high ethical and professional standards which we, our members and our partners rightly expect”.