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Ex-team boss denies drug claims


Former Telekom team manager Walter Godefroot has denied being involved in the doping of riders during the 1990s.

"I did not organise any doping in our cycling team, nor did I finance it," the Belgian told reporters on Tuesday.


Godefroot also threatened to sue former Telekom massage therapist Jef D'Hont, whose recent book detailed alleged drug misuse within the team.
Several ex-Telekom riders have admitted they took performance-enhancing drugs when Godefroot was in charge.


Former team leader Bjarne Riis became the first rider to admit to having used performance enhancing drugs while winning the Tour de France.




<table> <tbody><tr> <td width="5">
</td> <td class="fact"> <!--Smva--> Looking back, I've been very naive - I suspected that things were happening that weren't too healthy for the riders

Walter Godefroot <!--Emva--> <!--Smva--> <!--Smva-->

<!--Emva--> <!--Emva--> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>
The Dane, who won the race in 1996, alleged that Godefroot turned a blind eye to drug use within the team.


Sprint great Erik Zabel confessed last month to using the banned blood booster EPO, as did former team-mate Rolf Aldag.


Their confessions follow those of ex-Telekom men Udo Boelts, Bert Dietz and Christian Henn.


Two former Telekom doctors have also admitted administering banned substances when working for the team in the 1990s.


Godefroot claimed he did not question his own riders at the time because he was too busy running the team's affairs. "All things said, I wasn't too close to them," he said.


Godefroot is currently an adviser to the Astana team and said he planned to continue in that role through this year's Tour de France.





Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/6722071.stm

Published: 2007/06/05 09:39:08 GMT

© BBC MMVII

How can anyone believe this? I think "naive" might be a bit of an understated self-assessment. I hope he sues D'Hondt, it will be interesting if a bunch of Telekom riders are drug into court to testify under oath, especially ones who have already broken the omerta.

The idea that he didn't really know what was going on seems ludicrous unless he's some kind of idiot. At best he probably knew what was going on and ignored it, at worst he was a participant. I guess about 90% chance the latter and not the former.

The idea that he didn't really know what was going on seems ludicrous unless he's some kind of idiot.

Oh, he's an idiot alright.