Leinders on lifetime ban: “I consider myself innocent”

By Shane Stokes - January 23, 2015

Reacting to the lifetime ban handed down upon him by the American Arbitration Association today, former Rabobank and Team Sky doctor Geert Leinders appears dismissive of the outcome.

“As a physician, I consider myself innocent in this matter,” he said, according to NOS. He also made clear that the lifetime ban would have minimal impact on him. “I have already decided three years ago to not be active as a team doctor in cycling.”

Leinders has a long history in the sport, having worked as doctor for various teams. He was with Rabobank between 1996 and 2009, acting as chief team doctor and also a member of the squad’s board of directors.

After leaving the team he was taken on by Team Sky in 2010 and remained there until 2012. He was eventually dropped after testimony emerged about his past doping role.

The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) received further testimony from past Rabobank rider Levi Leipheimer, while Leinders was further implicated when Michael Rasmussen gave evidence to Anti-Doping Denmark.

Those two bodies plus Anti-Doping Authority Netherlands (Doping autoriteit) collaborated in uncovering the extent of Leinders’ wrongdoing and this plus the American Arbitration Association’s work led to the lifetime ban.

The AAA concluded that he had “possessed, trafficked, and administered banned performance enhancing substances and methods without any legitimate medical need, including EPO, blood transfusion paraphernalia, testosterone, insulin, DHEA, LH and corticosteroids to athletes under his care, and was complicit in other anti-doping rule violations.”

It said that the hearing featured detailed evidence, including eyewitness testimony, corroborating documentation plus an expert analysis of abnormal blood values of cyclists.

According to NOS, Leinders’ lawyer Kristof de Saedeleer raised some doubts about whether or not he would appeal. “Cycling is a closed chapter for Mr. Leinders,” he said. We have no further news about the case, [including] for example any appeal. We want to consult first with Leinders. We must talk about it.

“There is a lot to say about this legal decision. But it could also be, after consultation with Mr Leinders, that we leave it at that and do not appeal.”

http://www.littlepeople.id.au Chris Little

I love this version of reality, when truth adjusts to fit what is in my head. So I am going to use the same method: “I consider myself a grand tour winner.”
Gee, that feels good!
- Dave
  
  You’re taking it too easy. Stop slacking off and “consider yourself” a seven-time Grand Tour winner!
- Peter
  
  ‘Its not a lie if you believe it!’ George Costanza
Michele

Nice PR work by the Doc and his lawyer.

‘Yes, normally I would appeal, and I would also win the appeal, thus proving my innocence. But of course, since I no longer want to be involved in Cycling, I am not going to appeal. But I am still innocent.’

As an aside .. Ted Bundy also ‘considered himself innocent’.
- Dave
  
  I appreciate the class of Leinders, going for just the “what-evvaa” where others might sue people, call their loyal assistants drug-addicted hookers and so on.
  
  Good to see that the reduced sanctions handed out to the ex-USPS riders (in return for dobbing on others) seems to have had merit if evidence from Leipheimer was a big part of securing this ban.
http://batman-news.com Chris

Amazing how quiet the comments section is when SKY are involved.
How long will this take to play out? I guess we won’t be looking back on this era in a few years time as being a clean period. A lot like the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s…
- 42x16ss
  
  Great isn’t it! If you want some real comedy, check out the BikeRetard, I mean Radar forums ;)
  - david__g
    
    I can’t believe I went to look. I had to quit after about two posts because of all the dumb quotes and animated images in the signatures. And the SKY fanboys, obvs. Awful place.
- Larry @CycleItalia
  
  The SKY fanboys remind me a whole lot of the BigTex fanboys back-in-the-day. Turns out not much has changed when the UCI medical guy mentioned in the case against the former Rabobank/SKY doc turns out to be the one who handed a SKY rider a rather hasty TUE just last year? Perhaps Cookson should blow the UCI up and start over?
  - Dave
    
    The UCI has now suspended the ‘medical guy’ Mario Zorzoli, it would seem the details from the American-Danish-Dutch joint investigation have finally pushed it to the point that his position has become completely untenable by even the UCI’s ridiculous standards.
    
    Instead of taking sanctioning away from the national federations and bringing it in house, Cookson should take that authority and immediately outsource it to USADA and Anti-Doping Denmark. But that would be courageous leadership, and it’s well established that Cookson doesn’t have the stones to be anything more than a lackey.
    - Larry @CycleItalia
      
      Wouldn’t handing over sanctioning to those bodies just risk cries of foul from the others? ONE single body responsible for this at least takes nationalism out of the picture, but of course we hope that body is truly interested in cleaning things up rather than papering over scandals as has too often been the case. Cookson needs to take Zorzoli aside and ask for his resignation, “Do the right thing Mario, please?”
      - Dave
        
        And that’s why I suggested two. USADA can handle Danish cases, A-DD can handle US cases and the rest can get split 50-50.
        
        Larry @CycleItalia
        
        If Cookson goes, who minds the store? I see where you’re coming from regarding the Danish and US anti-doping bodies, but the boss of BMC is still involved in cycling as is “Mr. 60%”. A body as independent as possbile from national interest should mete out sanctions according the the WADA rules
Dave

What would really top this off is if Michael “where there’s smoke there’s fire” Rogers came out and said that the reason he left Team Sky was that he was uncomfortable with the practices of the Dirty Dutch Doctor.
- Larry @CycleItalia
  
  …..left SKY to join a team run by “Mr. 60%”? That would be pretty funny!
  - Dave
    
    Exactly! The more absurd the better at this point, otherwise the UCI will just stick with scandal management instead of having a go at real change.