Sky's Brailsford reveals triamcinolone treatment

London (AFP) – Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford has revealed he was treated with the corticosteroid triamcinolone by former team doctor Richard Freeman.

On Wednesday, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) chief Nicole Sapstead told a British parliamentary committee that British Cycling, which shares a headquarters with Team Sky, had possessed large amounts of the drug.

It led to reports Freeman was using the drug to treat not only riders, but also staff from British Cycling and Team Sky, and Brailsford said he had used it to treat a knee injury in 2008.

“Whilst this is normally managed with oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, on one occasion a clinical decision was made to treat the symptoms within the joint with an intra-articular corticosteroid injection,” Brailsford said in comments published in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph.

“This was done with the appropriate assessment, informed consent and subsequent monitoring.

“The treatment was administered to me by our then team doctor, Dr Freeman, who is a musculoskeletal specialist, at the velodrome in line with good clinical practice.”

Explaining his decision to reveal personal medical information, Brailsford said it was “so to ensure that any subsequent reporting is based on fact.”

Great Britain academy coach Keith Lambert has also revealed he was treated with the drug. Triamcinolone is the drug used by Bradley Wiggins prior to three grand tours between 2011 and 2013 after he was granted therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) over a pollen-related breathing problem.

TUEs permit cyclists to take substances that would usually be banned. UKAD is investigating Team Sky and British Cycling over a mysterious package delivered to Freeman for Wiggins, the 2012 Tour de France champion, following the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine.

Freeman says the package contained the legal decongestant Fluimucil and Wiggins, now retired, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Freeman had been due to appear before Britain’s Culture, Media and Sport select committee on Wednesday, but was too ill to attend.