Sir Bradley Wiggins hits out at ‘malicious’ campaign after MPs’ accusations

The five-times Olympic cycling champion Sir Bradley Wiggins has said that he is in a “living hell” after his reputation was vaporised by a parliamentary inquiry that concluded he cheated within the rules in order to win the 2012 Tour de France.

Wiggins took the powerful corticosteroid triamcinolone not to treat a legitimate medical condition, as he claimed, but to gain an edge on the competition, according to MPs on the digital, culture, media and sport select committee.

However, the 2012 Tour de France winner denied cheating. He said he was the victim of a smear campaign by an anonymous witness, whose evidence contributed to the MPs’ devastating conclusion.

“Not at any time in my career did we cross the ethical line,” Wiggins told the BBC on Monday night. “I refute that 100%. This is malicious. This is someone trying to smear me. I would love to know who it is, I think it would answer a lot of questions.

“These allegations, it’s the worst thing to be accused of. It’s also the hardest thing to prove you haven’t done. We’re not dealing in a legal system. I’d have had more rights if I’d murdered someone.”

Wiggins said his children had been taunted at school since an investigation was launched by UK Anti-Doping following the allegation that a mystery Jiffy bag delivered to him at a race in 2011 contained triamcinolone. If it did and Wiggins took it at the time – which he wholeheartedly denies – it would amount to an anti-doping rule violation.

Source: theguardian