Dr Freeman tribunal: Ex-British Cycling doctor unaware of testosterone benefits

Former British Cycling and Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman claimed he was unaware of testosterone’s performance-enhancing benefits, as his fitness to practise medicine hearing continued.

“We were focused on managing athletes and there was this mantra that we were a clean team – it was never discussed.”

The tribunal has been adjourned until Friday.

Dr Freeman’s case centres on his claim, which former British cycling technical director Shane Sutton denies, that he ordered Testogel patches to treat Sutton’s erectile disfunction.

The charges against him include ordering 30 sachets of testosterone gel to the National Cycling Centre in May 2011 and lying about it to British Cycling and UK Anti-Doping.

He denies the General Medical Council’s central charge of “knowing or believing” the Testogel was to be given to a rider to aid their performance.

On the final day of his cross-examination that has stretched into a seventh week, Dr Freeman was asked about the drug culture within cycling in 2011 and if he would have known testosterone could be used to improve performance.

“No, I wouldn’t have, really,” he said.

Dr Freeman also insisted the issue of doping had never arisen between himself and former British Cycling medical director Dr Steve Peters.

Dr Freeman, who had been in his post for 17 months when he ordered the Testogel to the Manchester Velodrome, said: “I came into cycling quite fresh.

“The main interest in endurance cycling was blood doping. Dr Peters and I never discussed doping.”