Johan Museeuw's strange SMS discussions with ex-veterinarian José Landuyt, dealing with what appear to be doping products, methods and controls, have been published by Belgian newspapers De Standaard, Het Nieuwsblad and La Dernière Heure, following on from De Morgen a few weeks ago. The messages used a simple code word system, with the now infamous "wesp" (wasp) indicating the blood-boosting product Aranesp; a "wasp's nest" meaning a course of Aranesp; a "wasmachine" (washing machine) indicating a centrifuge to measure one's own hematocrit; and "de binnenband" (inner tube) meaning in intravenous injection.
On the basis of the phone exchanges, Museeuw, who retired nearly a year ago, was banned from holding a licence by the Belgian cycling federation for two years, with another two years suspended sentence. Museeuw has always maintained his innocence and has appealed to courts against the decision of the Belgian federation.
The main dialogues published:
July 2, 2003
Museeuw: "A wasps' nest, can you work one out? I'm leaving on Wednesday for a training camp. I have no sight of the wasp. I have no control until 28/7."
Landuyt: "Now I would take 80-100 wasps and at the start of the training camp a minimum of 40 and maximum of 60 wasps. Then completely clean from 19/7. It has to be in the inner tube. Test with washing machine."
Museeuw: "Subcutaneously or in the nose?"
Landuyt: "Always intravenously with wasp. Otherwise bingo. So certainly intravenously."
July 27, 2003
Museeuw: "I'm two above."
Landuyt: "Take a bit of salt and drink. The washing machine always measures higher (1 or 2) than the real value. Everything in order?
Museeuw: "Down to 49"
July 28, 2003
Landuyt: "Stand up and drink some more water. Everything OK?"
Museeuw: "OK, no control."
August 12, 2003
Museeuw: "I arrived yesterday [in Denmark]. Had a WADA control. From Thursday afternoon 42. So no problem."
Museeuw: "What is acyline?"
Landuyt: "Don't touch."
Museeuw: "Acclydine."
Landuyt: "Found it. Too expensive. You have to take it for a long time and it's not proven that it works."
