Cycling Independent Reform Commission's Report
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CYCLING INDEPENDENT REFORM COMMISSION REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNION CYCLISTE INTERNATIONALE DR. DICK MARTY (PRESIDENT) MR. PETER NICHOLSON (VICE-PRESIDENT) PROF. DR. ULRICH HAAS (VICE-PRESIDENT) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In the course of its mandate, the Commission was assisted by a Project Director and a team of specialists with legal, technical, investigative and analytical skills. The Commissioners wish to acknowledge and thank the following: Ms Aurélie Merle, Project Director Ms Erika Riedl, Anti-doping Consultant Mr Daniele Boccucci, Legal Consultant Ms Louise Reilly, Barrister Ms Kendrah Potts, Legal Counsel to the Commission The Commission sent many requests for assistance to UCI and the Cycling Anti-doping Foundation for archive documents and other information that were all answered in a professional and timely manner. The Commission would like to express its gratitude to UCI and Cycling Anti-doping Foundation staff members for their cooperation and time in assisting the CIRC in fulfilling its mandate. Similar thanks are due to the World Anti- doping Agency and to the many National Anti-doping Agencies for promptly sharing documents and information with the Commission. The Commission would also like to thank all the people who volunteered to cooperate with its mandate and those who responded positively to a request for an interview. Dick Marty Ulrich Haas Peter Nicholson Lausanne, February 2015 1 ABBREVIATIONS AAF Adverse Analytical Finding ABP Athlete Biological Passport ADAMS Anti-doping Administration and Management System ADC UCI Anti-doping Commission ADO Anti-doping Organisation ADR Anti-doping Rule(s) ADRV Anti-doping Rule(s) Violation ADU UCI Anti-doping Unit AFLD Agence Française de Lutte contre le Dopage ASO Amaury Sport Organisation CADF Cycling Anti-doping Foundation CAS Court of Arbitration for Sport CERA Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator CIRC/Commission Cycling Independent Reform Commission CONI Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano DCO Doping Control Officer EPO Erythropoietin Giro Giro d’Italia HGH Human Growth Hormone IF International Federation In-/Out-of-Competition Test ICT/OoCT IOC International Olympic Committee LADS Legal Anti-doping Service LH Luteinizing Hormone LNDD Laboratoire national de détection du dopage MPCC Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible NADO National Anti-doping Organisation NAS Nuclei Antisofisticazione e Sanità NF National Federation PED Performance Enhancing Drug RTP Registered Testing Pool SSCC UCI Sports Safety and Conditions Commission Tour Tour de France TUE Therapeutic Use Exemption UCI Union Cycliste Internationale UNESCO Convention International Convention against Doping in Sport USADA United States Anti-doping Agency USCF United States Cycling Federation Vuelta La Vuelta a España WADA World Anti-Doping Agency WADA Code World Anti-Doping Code 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………………... 6 BACKGROUND TO THE CIRC…………………………………………………………….……………………… 16 I. METHODOLOGY…………………………………………….…………………………… 17 II. SCOPE OF MANDATE……………………………………………………………………19 1. ELITE ROAD CYCLING.…………………………………….…………………………................... 20 1.1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………..………………………. 20 1.2. INITIAL COMMENTS.………………………………................................................................. 21 1.2.1. What is meant by “being clean”?................................................................................. 21 1.2.2. What is meant by “a culture of doping”?………………………..……………………. 22 1.2.3. What is meant by “omerta”?……………………………………….……………............... 24 1.2.4. What is meant by “cheating”?…….……………………………………………………….. 25 1.3. HISTORICAL SECTION…………………………………………………………………………….26 1.3.1. 1890s—1980s……………..……………………..……………..………………….…………… 27 1.3.2. Late 1980s—2001: the EPO era……………………………….…………………………. 32 1.3.3. 2001—2007: The peloton adapts: blood transfusions and EPO micro-dosing………………………………………….............................................................. 42 1.4. 2008–TODAY: THE END OF WIDESPREAD AND TEAM ORGANISED DOPING?………… 52 1.4.1. The introduction of the Athlete Biological Passport ……….……….................. 53 1.4.2. Main doping incidents/cases………………………………............................................ 54 1.4.3. What is the situation in respect of doping in cycling today?........................... 56 1.4.4. Themes and factors that continue to encourage or facilitate doping practices in cycling today…………………………………………………………………… 71 1.4.5. Other features of elite road cycling…………………………………………….............. 83 2. UNION CYCLISTE INTERNATIONALE …………………………………………..……………….. 90 2.1. BACKGROUND...……………….............................................................................................. 90 2.1.1. The complexity of the sport of cycling……………………………………….………... 91 2.1.2. UCI: rapid growth………………………………................................................................... 91 2.1.3. Conflict between two strong personalities………………………………………….. 93 2.1.4. Conflict with ASO………………………………………………………………………............ 93 2.1.5. Politics intervenes….………………………………………………………………………….. 94 2.1.6. New challenges represented by EPO and omerta………………………………… 95 2.1.7. Cycling as a scapegoat? .……………………………………………….……………............ 96 2.1.8. Ineffective governance………………………………………………………………............ 97 2.1.9. Poor communication strategy…………………………………..………………............... 97 2.2. UCI AND ANTI-DOPING………………………………………………………...….……............ 98 2.2.1. Organisation of the fight against doping…………………………….…...….............. 98 2.2.1.1. Organisation prior to the creation of CADF in 2008……...………. 98 2.2.1.2. Creation of CADF and the time thereafter……..………….…………... 110 2.3. THE ANTI-DOPING PROGRAMME…………………………………………..…….…................ 115 2.3.1. The period of containment (until 2006/2007)……..…………………...………… 116 2.3.2. Evaluation of UCI anti-doping policies and structures (to 2006/2007)…………………………………………………….………………….…….............. 130 2.3.3. The period of improvements, new challenges and regular set-backs (2006—2013)………………………………………….…………………………. 134 2.4. FACTS AND ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING IRREGULARITIES BY THE UCI WITH REGARDS TO DOPING .……………………………………………….……………..160 3 2.4.1. Allegations of corruption……………………………………………………….…………… 161 2.4.1.1. Disappearance of Lance Armstrong’s positive test result at the 2001 Tour de Suisse………………………………………… 161 2.4.1.2. Lance Armstrong and payment for the Vrijman Report………… 166 2.4.1.3. Allegations of corruption in the “Report on Corruption in the Leadership at the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)”………… 168 2.4.2. Allegations of breaches of the UCI ADR…………..…………………………………… 169 2.4.2.1. 1996 and 1999 cases…………………………………………………………... 169 2.4.2.2. 1997 Laurent Brochard case (lidocaine) and 1999 Lance Armstrong case (corticosteroids)……………………… 170 2.4.2.3. 2008: Lance Armstrong comeback…………………………….………… 174 2.4.3. Allegations concerning the preferential treatment of certain riders……... 182 2.4.3.1. Allegations concerning the preferential treatment of Lance Armstrong by the UCI leadership……………………………….. 182 2.4.3.2. Allegations regarding UCI’s favourable treatment of Alberto Contador………………………………………………………………... 198 2.5. GOVERNANCE OF UCI………………………………………………………..…………………. 201 2.5.1. Management of UCI……………………………………………………………………………. 201 2.5.2. Elections with little transparency……………………………………………………….. 202 2.5.2.1. Succession of Hein Verbruggen in 2005: A favoured candidate…………………………….……………………………. 202 2.5.2.2. The 2013 election……………………………………………………………….. 206 2.5.3. The casual use of financial resources…………………………………………...……... 207 2.5.4. Conflicts of interest……………………………………………………………………………. 209 3. RECOMMENDATIONS…………………………………………………...................................... 211 3.1. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK……………………….……………………………………………. 212 3.1.1. Investigative powers……………………………………………………………………......... 212 3.1.2. Corporate governance………………………………………………………………………... 212 3.1.3. Doctors……………………………………………………………………………………………… 213 3.1.4. WADA Code………………………………………………………………………………...…….. 213 3.1.5. Other UCI rules………………………………………………………………………………….. 214 3.2. OPERATIONAL………………………………………………………………………………......... 215 3.2.1. Testing and investigations………………………………………………………………….. 215 3.2.1.1. Plan……………………………………………………………………………………. 215 3.2.1.2. Conducting testing……………………………………………………………… 215 3.2.2. Independent whistleblower mechanism……………………………………………... 217 3.2.3. Results management………………………………………………………………………….. 217 3.2.3.1. Non-analytical investigations………………………………………………. 217 3.2.3.2. Proactive use of substantial assistance………………………………… 217 3.2.4. Laboratories……………………………………………………………..……………………….. 217 3.2.5. ABP…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 218 3.2.6. Two-tier approach………………………………………………………………………...…… 218 3.2.7. Proportionality and consistency of sanctions……………………………………… 218 3.2.8. Science………………………………………………………………………………………….…... 219 3.2.8.1. Laboratories………………………………………………………………………. 219 3.2.8.2. ABP……………………………………………………………………………………. 219 3.2.8.3. Allocation of funding to research…………………………………………. 219 3.2.9. Pharmaceutical……………………………………………………………………….…………. 220 3.3. GOVERNANCE…………………..……………………………………………………..………….. 220 3.3.1. Election process…………………………………………………………………..…………….. 220 3.3.2. Checks and balances…………………………………………………………..…………...…. 220 3.3.2.1. Finance/accountability……………………………………..………………… 220 4 3.3.2.2. Ethics Commission……………………………………………………………… 221 3.3.2.3. Management Committee……………………………………………………... 221 3.3.3. Riders’ union……………………………………………………………………………………... 221 3.3.4. Anti-cheating…………………………………………………………………………………….. 221 3.3.5. Education………………………………………………………………………………………….