Cycling: Tour winner Riis knew team was doping
Riis, 51, who won the Tour in 1996 and subsequently admitted having doped during his career. PHOTO: AFP
Former Tour de France winner and Team Saxo manager Bjarne Riis knew about doping in his team but failed to act, according to a damning report by the Danish Anti-Doping Authority and the country’s National Olympic Committee.
The report, released on Tuesday and based on more than 50 interviews and two-and-a-half years of work, was inspired by a US Anti-Doping Agency investigation.
Riis, 51, who won the Tour in 1996 and subsequently admitted having doped during his career, was sacked by Team Saxo-Tinkov in March following a dispute with new owner Oleg Tinkov.
“Management, with Bjarne Riis in overall charge, has at a minimum had knowledge of doping within the team, but failed to intervene. It is completely unacceptable,” said Michael Ash, director of the Danish Anti-Doping Authority, in a statement.
Riis was not immediately available for comment.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2015.