Team Sky and Sir Bradley Wiggins face no doping charges after ‘jiffy bag’ investigation

UK Anti-Doping has announced there are no anti-doping charges as a result of an investigation into the contents of a jiffy bag delivered to Sir Bradley Wiggins at the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine.

The anti-doping agency said that it could not find sufficient evidence to definitively determine what was in the package. British Cycling claimed at a parliamentary select committee earlier this year that it contained Fluimucil and not, as had been alleged, the banned corticosteroid Triamcinalone.

Wiggins has claimed that he could not remember what was in the package. Dr Richard Freeman, the British Cycling doctor who ordered the package, was unable to give evidence to the inquiry, citing ill health. The Guardian revealed this month that Freeman had resigned.

“I can confirm that Ukad does not intend to issue any anti-doping charges as a result of the investigation into the package,” said Ukad chief executive Nicole Sapstead, who began looking into the affair last year following revelations in the Daily Mail.

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“As with all Ukad investigations, our work has been thorough and extensive, and I can reassure the public that we treat every credible allegation with the utmost seriousness.”

However, Ukad said that it would hand information to the General Medical Council, which could result in it taking on the investigation.

“Our investigation was hampered by a lack of accurate medical records being available at British Cycling. This is a serious concern. As part of their conditions to receive public funding from UK Sport and other Home Country Sports Councils, all sports governing bodies must comply with the UK National Anti-Doping Policy. In this case the matter was further complicated by the crossover between personnel at British Cycling and Team Sky,” said Sapstead.

“We have written to British Cycling and a copy of this letter has also been sent to UK Sport and Sport England. We have also separately written to Team Sky. Finally, we have referred some information to the GMC, and will cooperate with the GMC as necessary in respect of that information.”

British Cycling chief executive officer Julie Harrington said: “I would like to thank Nicole Sapstead and her team at Ukad for the diligence and determination they have shown in investigating this matter. Their work on this, and throughout sport, is essential if we are to earn and retain the trust of athletes and fans.

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“Ukad’s findings represent an organisation and culture that, despite delivering on the world stage, did not meet the high standards that British Cycling today holds itself to. We note that UKAD have referred information arising from their investigation to the General Medical Council and we offer them our wholehearted cooperation.

“British Cycling have implemented a number of significant changes to the management of our medical services to the Great Britain Cycling Team following a review instigated in March by chair Jonathan Browning, shortly after his appointment. This was an external review led by Dr Rod Jaques of the English Institute of Sport and all of his recommendations have been accepted by British Cycling. We welcome Ukad’s support for these changes.

“The association between British Cycling and Team Sky has been a positive force for cycling in this country. However, we accept that the relationship between British Cycling and Team Sky developed rapidly and as a result, at times, resulted in the blurring of the boundaries between the two. This led to some failings in the way that processes and people were managed.

“Today, based on our learning together there are clear boundaries and distinctions between our two organisations: no one is simultaneously employed by British Cycling and Team Sky; and we each have our own practices in place for managing athlete records.

“My focus now is on ensuring that we can give athletes and the public the reassurance they need to believe in our ability to win clean on the biggest global stages because of the systems and controls we have put in place. We are intent on ensuring that the integrity of our record keeping is never called into question again.”

A statement from Team Sky said: “UK Anti-Doping has today confirmed that it does not intend to bring forward any anti-doping charges in relation to its investigation into issues around the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine. This investigation has now been brought to a close.

“We are pleased that UK Anti-Doping have concluded their investigation and that they will not be taking any further action. We have always maintained that there was no wrongdoing and we have co-operated fully with UK Anti-Doping over the last year.

“Since our inception as a new pro cycling team in 2010 we have continually strengthened our systems and processes so they best support our strong commitment to anti-doping.