Former British Cycling, Team Sky doctor banned from practicing medicine after appeal fails
This article originally appeared on Velo News
Former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor, Richard Freeman's appeal against a decision to ban him from practicing medicine has been rejected by a UK court.
Freeman was permanently removed from the UK's medical register, which prevents him from working as a doctor in the country, in 2021 after he was deemed unfit to practice due to misconduct by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS).
It was ruled that he had ordered banned testosterone gel to the British Cycling headquarters in Manchester in 2011 "knowing or believing" that it was to be administered to an unnamed rider for the purposes of improving performance.
According to the BBC, the original verdict was upheld by the UK's High Court, which means that Freeman remains unable to practice medicine.
He has also been ordered to pay PS23,000 ($28,000) in legal fees to the General Medical Council (GMC), which took the case to the MPTS and is the body that maintains the medical register.
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The court's decision means that a UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) investigation into Freeman can resume after it was put on hold during the appeal. UKAD is investigating Freeman for two violations, attempting to tamper with a doping control and possession of banned substances.
During the hearing at the MPTS, which began in 2020, Freeman was accused of 22 charges. They included destroying a laptop with a screwdriver before handing it to experts, ordering and destroying packages of banned testosterone gel, and asking a staff member to cover up the order.
Freeman ultimately admitted to 18 of the 22 charges but denied ordering testosterone gel. However, the tribunal did not believe his denials.
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