Belgian senator Jean-Marie Dedecker, according to whom some 20 people (riders, soigneurs and dealers) are allegedly involved in doping in Belgian cycling, said on a TV show on Sunday that one of his sources was Renno Roelandt, the Vice-Chairman of the Belgian Inter-Federal Olympic Committee (BOIC).
"About one month ago, Renno Roelandt comes up to me at the 100 years of BOIC celebration and gives me two more names," Dedecker said. "'We can't nail these people, but you could give their names to the court. They are also doping dealers,' he told me." A criminal investigation into the matter is underway.
Roelandt himself confirmed what Dedecker had said. "Indeed, I gave him those names," the doctor told Sporza. "This concerns two former cyclists, who were not absolute top-level. I've only known their names for a few weeks, but I'm very confident in my sources, otherwise I wouldn't have given their names." The Olympic Committee official had decided to turn to criminal law as he did not believe sports-administrative organisations could solve the problem. "What could WADA have done about it? Only the court can get a hold of this," he added.
Also present at the show aired on Belgian "Éen" station was QuickStep manager and AIGCP president Patrick Lefévère, who urged Dedecker to finally name the accused cyclists in public, but the Belgian senator remained silent.
Also see: Roelandt expects more doping cases (2004)
