Update: prosecutor says RadioShack manager may face lifetime ban
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Johan Bruyneel faces the media(Image credit: Steve Medcroft)
Johan Bruyneel introduces the RadioShack-Nissan team(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Johan Bruyneel plans for Tour Down Under with Lance Armstrong, r.(Image credit: Sirotti)
The Belgian Cycling Federation has forwarded the USADA reasoned decision to federation prosecutors, for further investigation of Johan Bruyneel involvement. The Koninklijke Belgische Wielrijdersbond made the announcement in a short press statement on Thursday morning.
“The KBWB has, as statutorily provided, sent the information to federation prosecutor Mr. Jaak Fransen, for further investigation.”
It added that, “As is usual in doping cases, the federation prosecutor will contact the UCI.”
The USADA's reasoned decision in the Armstrong case, issued on Wednesday, described Bruyneel as a key player in the organized doping which took place at the US Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams. Bruyneel has constantly denied such charges. Neither he nor his current team, RadioShack-Nissan, has commented on the USADA report.
The overwhelming evidence in this case is that Johan Bruyneel was intimately involved in all significant details of the U.S. Postal team’s doping program. He alerted the team to the likely presence of testers. He communicated with Dr. Ferrari about his stars’ doping programs,” the document said.
“He was on top of the details for organizing blood transfusion programs before the major Tours, and he knew when athletes needed to take EPO to regenerate their blood supply after extracting blood. He was present when blood transfusions were given. He even personally provided drugs to the riders on occasion.”
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Fransen told demorgen.be that “We are now carefully studying and awaiting the official report to be delivered to us via the International Cycling Union. If it appears that Johan Bruyneel and/or other Belgian licensees have committed wrongful acts, they can be held accountable” by the federation.
Bruyneel may even be facing a lifetime ban from his homeland federation. "Perhaps he may even be denied the right to remain active in cycling.” Such a ban issued by the Belgian federation would have to be honoured by the UCI and also worldwide, Fransen said.
