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KD teammate
Hors Categorie
Denmark
5683 Posts |
 Posted - 17/02/2008 : 09:22:14
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Austrian blood doping scandal (part 2)
Its time for a short update (remember also to read part 1, on page 5). This week we had an anonymous accusation filed to the Austrian police, against 30 athletes and 3 doctors having practiced doping from 2000-2006 in the Humanplasma laboratorium. All news agencies got access to read this accusation, but allmost everyone chose not to publish the names. First of all the person making the accusation is anonymous, and also the persons identified in the accusation as sources of information (among others the athlete in swimming Mirna Jukic, the athlete in alpine skiing Stephan Eberharter, and 2 journalists from Kurier), didnt confirm to have provided this new list of names. So basicly its impossible (at this point of time) to check the reliability of the information.
The newspaper "Österreich Zeitung" however chose to publish 18 of the 30 names, mentioned in the accusation. Federations in Germany and Austria representing biathlon athletes, alpine skiing, cross country skiing, and swimming, reacted furiously to the publication of names without showing evidense to proof it, and have promised to launch a law suit against the newspaper.
In the meantime, the authoraties in Austria is refusing to comment, since they are in the middle of some ongoing investigations. They however confirmed, that the police is now also investigating the newly filed accusation. In this accusation, its suggested that the athletes also made assurance fraud, since they financed their doping expences, by calling it "treatment of injuries".
It has also been confirmed, that the Austrian Health minestry started some investigations 2 weeks ago. In my opinion, they probably evaluate wether or not blood doping treatments, can be considered as a threath against public health (just like they did in Spain). In Austria they also lack a doping law, so they can only begin a case in civil court, in case there is evidense of fraud or some threaths against public health.
First result of the ongoing investigation, emerged this week, when the Austrian public prosecuter, decided to launch a case against a professor in blood transfusions (Paul Höcker), who allegedly worked as a consultant for Humanplasma. Earlier we also had 2 biathlon athletes and their 2 trainers, convicted guilty of blood doping. But besides of those 5 names, we still dont know for sure the names of all the other implicated persons and athletes. The 18 names below, are from the "list of 30", mentioned in the so far unconfirmed accusation:
Riders: Georg Totschnig, Michael Rasmussen, Denis Menchov, Michael Boogerd, Joost Posthuma, Pieter Weening.
Runner: Martin Pröll
Austrian biathletes: Christoph Suman, Daniel Mesotitsch, Ludwig Gredler.
German biathletes: Katrin Apel, Martina Glagow, Andrea Henkel, Sven Fischer, Michael Greis, Alexander Wolf, Daniel Graf, Michael Rösch.
The original accusation (without any names): www.tirol.com/sport/sportmix/innsbruck/76876/index.do
The 18 names mentioned by Österreich Zeitung: www.oe24.at/zeitung/sport/mehr_sport/article235618.ece
Background story provided by Kurier newspaper: http://kurier.at/sportundmotor/131897.php |
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CrossRacer
National Champion
USA
322 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2008 : 16:09:55
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Rock Racing has announced a new anti-doping testing system for their team. A company called Scott Analytics will do the "Athlete Passport Program" which they claim is similar to the UCI passport. Each rider will have approximately 12 blood collections per year and approximately 4 urine collections per year. (I saw this on Pez.)
Anything involving Rock Racing and Ball, I read it with scepticism. But it sounds like one blood test per month and infrequent urine testing sounds like a system that can be easily dodged. Does anyone think the the Rock Racing passport system is worthy? I am wondering if it will actually do any good, or is it just an attempt at good PR? |
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hawkeye87
Elite Rider
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2008 : 18:20:30
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Michael Ball is just playing public relations (PR) to the point where he thinks it buys him some credibility.
He has openly criticized Slipstream's approach public disclosure of the test results. Ball believes that all this stuff should be kept private.
Given that, I do not believe for a minute that their program is anything more than a PR campaign.
I have to find the link for it, but in an interview Ball talks about Tyler Hamilton and giving him a chance to race and redeem himself. He starts out talking about how he made a mistake and wants to start over. Hey, I'm all for that! However, when the interviewer cites that people's complaint with Tyler is that he never admitted to anything, Ball backtracks and talks about the bad decision made on Tyler. You cannot have it both ways.
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VKidd
Neo Pro
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2008 : 22:01:58
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quote:
Originally posted by hawkeye87
Michael Ball is just playing public relations (PR) to the point where he thinks it buys him some credibility.
He has openly criticized Slipstream's approach public disclosure of the test results. Ball believes that all this stuff should be kept private.
Given that, I do not believe for a minute that their program is anything more than a PR campaign.
I have to find the link for it, but in an interview Ball talks about Tyler Hamilton and giving him a chance to race and redeem himself. He starts out talking about how he made a mistake and wants to start over. Hey, I'm all for that! However, when the interviewer cites that people's complaint with Tyler is that he never admitted to anything, Ball backtracks and talks about the bad decision made on Tyler. You cannot have it both ways.
Yeah, you'd almost have to think if they really meant it, their results would be open disclosure as well.
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Employee of CSC in
Hampton, VA USA
Member of James River Velo Sport
(www.JRVS.org) |
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marcusm
Stagiaire
38 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 11:03:14
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Very interesting and informative discussion. However, not all your sources seems to be completely reliable. I am a swedish elite orienteer and I can guarantee that none of the suspicious deaths som orienteers faced in the late 80's and early 90's was caused on EPO! The reason for the deaths has never been completely confirmed, although they all had congenital heart problem.
First of all, there were only one of them (Melker Karlsson) who were actually on top level, the best of the others were ranked about 100 in Sweden. To be this, the amount of training that is required is approximately 300 hrs / year. None of them earned a single penny on their hobby - they were all full time workers - I think most of them didn't even reach "break even" economically (at least I don't do as 20-placed). I wouldn't call them "elite orienteers", more a mixture between elite and jogger. Even at international top level orienteering, there is no money to earn. Most of the members of swedish national squad work around 60-80%.
Secondly, there is simply no doping culture in orienteering due to the lack of money. It is simply not in anyone's mind. It might be naive to believe that in one of the toughest endurance sports, nobody has ever used blood doping. But I actually think that this is the case. Although, I fear that we will as well face the problem in a rather soon future as more money gets in to the sport.
A completely other thing. I've read the whole thread and as a cycling fan it is very sad to be forced to realize that most of your idols have achieved their victories by help of doping. But it is very good that the truth becomes available, even if they are not punished. One thing I don't like - though - is to get judged by good results. Just
because a couple of riders from the same team get good results in an ITT, that is not enough to say that they are doped! Try to make a difference between suspicions and facts.
I apolgize for the bad english and perhaps a sidetrack, just want correct to be correct. Keep on the interesting discussion.
/Marcus Millegård |
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VKidd
Neo Pro
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 15:35:59
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No need to apologize, Marcus... and thanks for the input!
Welcome to the Team CSC forums!
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Employee of CSC in
Hampton, VA USA
Member of James River Velo Sport
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KD teammate
Hors Categorie
Denmark
5683 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 17:23:46
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quote:
Originally posted by marcusm
I apolgize for the bad english and perhaps a sidetrack, just want correct to be correct. Keep on the interesting discussion.
There is no need to appoligize. Thanks for your insightfull story about Swedish orienteers. The only source, claiming that they might have died from EPO use, is the German website Cycling4fans. So next time when I update post 1, I will delete this particulair info. Besides of this little detail, the info in post 1 is from many reliable sources, and can be trusted. In particulair, I have to mention sources like Sandro Donati (about doping in Italy from 1980-1998), original court documents from Italy in various cases, and the coverage of the doping news from Cyclingnews.
In regards of evaluation of the antidoping programs, I think they make a positive difference. Meaning, that with the new biological passport, it has now become more difficult to dope compared to earlier years. Previously I highlighted some concerns, about on what points the biological passport should still be improved. To make a short recap, I think blood doping in 2008 will probably be impossible to do without detection, but fear that doping with growth hormones and daily doping with "micro dossages", can still happen undetected by those teams with a wrong culture.
If you want to have a clean team in cycling, you really need to invest in 2 main tools: Antidoping tests + A solid antidoping culture.
In case you fail to implement a strong antidoping culture on the entire team, there will for sure still be doping consumption on the team. |
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amartha
Elite Rider
USA
101 Posts |
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KD teammate
Hors Categorie
Denmark
5683 Posts |
Posted - 21/03/2008 : 15:00:02
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The T-mobile affair 2006 (part 4)
Jeff D'hont alleged 28th April 2007, a systematic doping use at T-mobile from 1993-1996. He identified the T-mobile doctors Dr.Schmid and Dr.Heinrich, as being those who was administering the doping system. The ex-rider Bert Dietz confirmed the allegations to be true 1 month later (and many other former T-mobile riders admitted to have doped from 1993-1998). Afterwords, the 2 doctors admitted doping administration from 1993-1998, and got suspended May 23 from Freiburg University. At the same time, also Dr.Huber admitted doping administration to the German U23 riders from 1980-1990, and got suspended May 29 from Freiburg University. The University established in May 2007 an investigation comission, to find out all facts about how the doping had been organised, and the identity of all persons involved.
March 20, the interim investigation report was released by the comission of inquiry (the final report will get published later in 2008). In this report we find further details about the doping related history at Telekom in 1993-2006. Earlier in this topic I posted the first part 1-3 about the T-mobile affair. In this post, I will try to summarize the exact revelations in the report, as a part 4.
Overall conclusion (translated from the report):
- The rider Patrik Sinkewitz confessed in autumn 2007 to have blood doped in 2006. Several riders have now also confessed to have recieved doping from the Freiburg doctors in 1993-2000. In regards of 2001-2005 the commission has so far not recieved any rider confessions. But from evidense of big money donations to several doctors, and the fact that falsified patient journals have been found at the University, the commision find it probable that doping administration also happened in 2001-2005. Examples of some falsified rider journals, are documents from 2005 labeled: "Maier, Ulrich, born 02.12.1937" (Ullrich was born 02.12.1973) and "Mayer, Alexander, born 02.07.1943" (related to Alexandre Vinokourov, born in 1973 and with 02.07 being the start date of Tour de France 2005).
- 4 doctors have been identified as recieveing illegitimate incomes. Besides of Dr.Heinrich and Dr.Schmid, also Dr.Blum (from July 2001 until December 2006) and Dr.Vogt (since May 2002) are being charged. Apart from these four doctors, no revelations are present, that further doctors received "over expenditure" payments. Dr.Vogt was fired from the Freiburg University in March 2008, while Dr.Blum has been working for the Astana cycling team since 2007.
- Regarding the autologous blood doping in 2006, the commission assumes, that other Telekom riders (besides of Sinkewitz) could have undergone such treatments.
Details from the investigation of 1992-2000 (page 5-page 9):
- Jeff D'hont was hired by Telekom in 1992, and together with Dr.Schmid they discussed what doping products to arrange for the riders. They agreed to use 2 products, that was already widely used as doping in Germany: Methylprednisolon and the cortisone product Betamethason. D'hont had also since 1977 prepared a cocktail called "Zaubertrank" with 300mg Coffein, Orciprenalin and Dipyridamol mixed up with Cola. This product was delivered by D'hont, to 8 out of the 17 Telekom riders in 1993/1994 (where 5 of them have allready confessed): B.Dietz, C.Henn, B.Holm, O.Ludwig, S.Wesemann, R.Aldag, U.Bölts and J.Heppner.
- It was always a basic rule on the team, that doping was never allowed to be injected without the knowledge/request from the particulair athlete involved. So it was always the riders who requested the doping, and not the other way around.
- Since the best 3 riders at Telekom ended as nr.10, nr.35 and nr.128 in TDF 1992, and a clear dominance from the Spanish and Italian teams, the use of EPO was brought to the teams agenda. In 1993 the administration of EPO-programs started with Dr.Schmid in charge. Uwe Ampler was the first Telekom rider on the program. In 1993+1994 EPO was mostly used by the top riders on the team, and the riders always injected themself.
- D'hont testified that O.Ludwig recieved his EPO doping either directly from Dr.Schmid or with a DHL package from D'hont.
- In spite of the first EPO programs in 1993, the most used doping program that year was the one with cortisone (Betamethason). The substance was delivered by the doctors as "health treatment" prescriptions for the riders. In 1994 Rudy Pevenage also started to deliver Growth Hormones (GH), to the directly use of doctors/riders.
- The ex-riders from T-mobile have all explained, that riders was normaly silent about their exact doping use towards each other, and even towards the team management. Riders competed against each other to secure a spot on the team, and in regards of future contract negotiations it was an advantage to stay as silent as possible, about what amount of doping you were currently using.
- In Jan.1995 Dr.Schmid and Dr.Heinrich launched a systematic EPO-program for the entire team. Racing sceduales and EPO programmes was planned individualy for each rider, in order to optimize their performance. According to Bert Dietz, the doctors discussed the doping programs with the sports director Rudy Pevenage. Bert Dietz recieved EPO in 1995+1996, in order to get a hematocrite around 52.5%. In 1996 he also recieved Growth Hormons (genotropin). Also Aldag and Henn has admitted to have used EPO on a regulair basis in those years. Each time a rider did an EPO program, they had to get injected every second night in a time period of 3 weeks. D'Hont has explained, that normaly Dr.Heinrich prepared and injected the riders, but during stage races the riders injected themself.
- EPO and other doping products was bought by Dr.Schmid. The products was either directly given by the doctors or sended to the riders as a DHL package. D'Hont was keeping notes of each riders doping consumption in a black book, and by the end of each season he calculated how much each rider had to pay. Not all doped riders on Telekom however used this system. Some riders arriving to Telekom from "experienced" teams, was doing all the EPO+cortisone doping on their own from other sources. In example Riis didnt use the offered doping program from the Freiburg doctors.
- Udo Bölts admitted his EPO+GH use in 1996, but in order to protect the existing lifes of former friends in Cycling, he decided to stay silent about the extensive doping program at Telekom. He also refused to tell all details to the comission in sep.2007.
- Erik Zabel started during Tour de Suisse 1996, with a 3 week EPO treatment.
- After the hematocrite limit was introduced by UCI in 1997, all the riders started to measure their hematocrite each morning before the races, and in case values was measured above 50, they injected themself with saltwater solutions to dillute the blood.
- As a result of the Festina scandal in 1998, the Telekom sponsor decided to establish a working group "Dopingfreier Sport", in order to combat the doping problem. From 1999-2002 an amount of 792,502 euro was payed, with the biggest amount (423,704 euro) going to research projects at the institute of Sports medicine (managed by Dr.Schmid). The working group consisted of: Dr.Tröger (rep. the national olympic comittee), Olaf Ludwig (rep. the German cycling federation BDR), Dr.Keul (rep. the German sports doctors federation), Dr.Brodesser/Dr.Haas (rep. the antidoping comission for German sport), 2 doctors from research institutes, and as the referent during the meetings Dr.Lothar Heinrich!
- In spite of the working group "Dopingfreier Sport", the Freiburg doctors continued to administer EPO and GH for the Telekom riders. Jörg Jaksche has testified, that he in Jan.1999 asked Dr.Heinrich "how Telekom was arranging the things (doping)", and got the answer "when you want something you can get it from me". Later in May 1999 Jaksche bought a centrifuge and 20,000/30,000 units of EPO from dr.Heinrich, and payed him with his personal cash. In regards of Synachten (glucoCorticoide) this was a product obtainable directly from the Telekom bus after the races. Jaksche recieved his EPO either from "EC-kurier" or post, or picked it up directly at the doctors place in Freiburg.
- Some medicine packages was sended from Dr.Heinrich by post office, and with the billing being payed by the organisation "Dopingfreier sport". 2 such bills was in example approved being payed for packages (with a value of 1000 DM) being sended to: Jaksche at 16th March 2000, and to Klödens girlfriend at 9th March 2000.
Details from the investigation of 2001-2006 (page 11-page 13):
- There is no rider confessions for the years 2001-2005. The comission finds it probable, that rider confessions ends in 2000, because of the 7 year statute of limitations (and the fact that many of these riders are still racing in the peleton).
- After the EPO-test was launched in April 2001 by UCI, there was a regained interest in Cycling, to start using the doping method autologous blood doping, instead. No hard evidense has been found at Freiburg. However, the comission has been told by some witnesses, that Dr.Heinrich already in 1998 contacted the institute of "Transfusionsmedizin", in order to try out autologous blood transfusion on himself, and learn how to do it. This episode happened sunday 21st of June 1998, while being off duty.
- The Freiburg clinic recieved each year in 2002-2006 according to contracts with T-mobile, these money transfers: 2002=102,258 euro, 2003=92,032 euro, 2004=100,000 euro, 2005=125,000 euro, 2006=140,000 euro. Dr.Heinrich directly recieved payment for his work at T-mobile with 60,000 euro in 2006 and 120,000 euro in 2007 (but signed in Dec.2006 a formula to the Freiburg University, where he told his expected salery from T-mobile would only be 1000 euro pr. month). So far there is reason to speculate, that the implicated doctors had a a personal economic bennefit, as compensation for an illegitimite pracsis.
- Patrik Sinkewitz has confessed, that he in Nov.2005 asked Dr.Heinrich about the possibility to start a blood doping program in 2006. This was accepted. Extractions was made in the Freiburg clinic by Dr.Heinrich. In January 2006 a half litre blood was extracted, and this portion was renewed in February and March, while in April there was reinfusion without renewal, in order to boost the blood volume ahead of the spring classics. In May 2 another half litre blood was removed in order to prepare for the Tour de France, and this blood was renewed at the end of May and at June 19. Patrik Sinkewitz was driving to Freiburg together with his girlfriend at July 1 in 2006, in order to reinject the prepared blood for the Tour. Sinkewitz claim he was the only rider visiting Freiburg at July 1, and that his blood transfusion got cancelled due to badly stored blood. Other info however speak against this version of the story. In example several blood samples from T-mobile riders were analysed by the Freiburg clinic at July 9, and then again at July 14 (both analysis happened at a time, where Dr.Schmid was officialy on vacation from July 7-14). Moreover, the retikulocyt measurement was also done on all the samples (including those from Sinkewitz), and it doesnt indicate that Sinkewitz didnt recieve blood doping in the Tour. On the contrary, many things point in the direction that 1 blood bag was indeed being cancelled, but it wasnt the one belonging to Sinkewitz.
- From Jan.1995 to Dec.2007 the sports insitute at Freiburg, has analyzed 58,800 blood samples from 22,264 persons. For each sample the hematocrite, hemaglobine and reticulocytes has been recorded. When making a statistical "cross section" analysis, it can be concluded that 59 persons had some abnormal values, and from this group 29 persons can be identified as being members of
T-mobile in 2005-2007. When using the UCI off-score analysis on the "abnormal" samples, there is 4 persons from Telekom/T-mobile (3 riders and a staff member) showing values exceeding the upper limit of 133. The investigation committee currently also works to conduct some blood profile analysis on the taken samples. During the last 13 years a total of 718 persons has submitted at least 6 samples, and on this subgroup z-scores will now get calculated, in order to dertimine any possible blood profiles with abnormal values. The result of this further analysis can be expected in the final investigation report.
Link to the entire interim report (source for this post): www.dopingkommission-freiburg.de/Zwischenbericht.pdf
The blue update above, has been added today as a last info. |
Edited by - KD teammate on 24/03/2008 18:58:25 |
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AMK
Stagiaire
Denmark
38 Posts |
Posted - 21/03/2008 : 18:53:37
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quote:
Originally posted by KD teammate
Link to the entire interim report (source for this post): www.dopingkommission-freiburg.de/Zwischenbericht.pdf
I would like to read more about the affair but I don't feel like reading the entire report. KD Teammate can you tell me if it is possible to read just some of the pages?
Happy easter. 
AMK. |
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Green Machine
Hors Categorie
Sweden
2342 Posts |
Posted - 21/03/2008 : 19:47:19
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Klöden has become even more suspected since the new revelations from the German investigation. According to the investigators, they have traced evidence of medical supplies sent to Klöden's then girlfriend (now wife).
To me, it would be very surprising if Klöden WASN'T doped while in T-Mobile when most probably both Ullrich, Sinkewitz and Kessler was. Especially since Ullrich, Kessler and Klöden are the best of friends always training together. I don't trust Klöden no matter how much he proclaims to have always been clean. Ullrich has always also said he has ridden clean, but the evidence against him is piling higher than the tower of Babylon... |
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AMK
Stagiaire
Denmark
38 Posts |
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KD teammate
Hors Categorie
Denmark
5683 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2008 : 02:49:40
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quote:
Originally posted by AMK
This is quite an interesting article: http://velonews.com/article/74053/an-essay-by-1984-olympic-gold-medalist-alexi-grewal
"In the 2007 Tour de France one of my former roommates sat behind the wheel of a team car pulling feathers out of his hair." I wonder if he is refering to Sean Yates? Does anyone know? I know they both rode for 7 Eleven but was it at the same time?
No it wasnt Sean Yates. I got curious about it, and have now investigated the matter. Alexi Grewal was riding for these teams:
1985: Panasonic
1986: RMO-Meral-Mavic
1986: 7 Eleven-Murray
1987: RMO
1990-1993: Coors Light
I have made a database of all his team mates during those years, and cross checked with the names of all managers, sports directors and assisting sports directors from Tour De France 2007. I found two positive matches from the RMO team in 1987:
Vincent Lavenu (now sportsdirector for AG2R)
Gilles Mas (now assisting sports director for AG2R)
So I guess its pretty certain, that he refers to AG2R in his statement, when he speaks about "pulling feathers out of the hair". |
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CrossRacer
National Champion
USA
322 Posts |
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CrossRacer
National Champion
USA
322 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2008 : 17:59:34
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quote:
Originally posted by KD teammate
No it wasnt Sean Yates. I got curious about it, and have now investigated the matter. Alexi Grewal was riding for these teams:
1985: Panasonic
So I guess its pretty certain, that he refers to AG2R in his statement, when he speaks about "pulling feathers out of the hair".
What about Theo de Rooy, who was on Panasonic in '85, with the feathers referencing Rasmussen's "chicken" feathers?
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Doping affairs in Cycling since 1980
