Wiggins 'package' throws up more questions

British Cycling have confirmed they are unable to prove what the mystery package used to treat Bradley Wiggins during the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine contained.

The governing body that cycling president Bob Howden wrote to members of the culture, media and sport select committee, who have been investigating the issue, to say they 'understand' the package contained the legal decongestant Fluimucil, but they have been unable to prove this.

The contents of the package have been shrouded in mystery for several months and even the courier himself, Simon Cope, claimed to not know what it contained.

Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford told the committee last week that it team doctor Richard Freeman said it contained Fluimucil but this only served to raise further questions, such as why fly this over from England when it was readily available in French pharmacies and also whether Wiggins' condition would have precluded him from using the product.

According to The Times, British Cycling also told the committee they were unable to access their own documentation because they are ‘are locked down by UK Anti-Doping [Ukad] investigators’ (UKAD are currently investigating an allegation of wrong-doing between British Cycling and Team Sky).

In total, Cope had to spend two days travelling — at an expense to Team Sky of almost £600 — to deliver a legal product which would have been available over the counter in a French pharmacy for approximately eight euros.

MPs on the committee were told on December 19 that Wiggins needed the medication because he fell ill towards the end of a seven-stage race he eventually won; however, it has now transpired that turns out that Cope travelled to Manchester to collect the package four days before it was administered to the rider on June 12, 2011 at La Toussuire.

"The more we discover about the package, the more new questions seem to be thrown up," select committee chair Damian Collins MP told the Daily Mail.

"We now know from Simon Cope's expense claims that the request to take the package must have been made some time in advance, and that he travelled from southern England up to Manchester to collect it, and then went back to fly to France from London Gatwick.

"If this medicine was needed urgently it would have been much quicker to buy it in France.

"We also know from last week's hearing that the medication was administered as soon as it was delivered.

"It also seems that British Cycling themselves do not know categorically what was in the package. They say they understand it to be Fluimucil but do not explain why they understand that it was.

"We need to be sure that British Cycling do keep proper records of what goes in and out of their medical stores."

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