Dave Brailsford (pictured) accused David Lappartient of taking the "French angle."GETTY IMAGES
Team Sky Principal Dave Brailsford accused Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) President David Lappartient of having the mentality of a "local French mayor" and taking "the French angle" on Chris Froome's salbutamol investigation, according to Josh Burrows of the LONDON TIMES. Brailsford has been arguing with Lappartient about the treatment of Froome since Lappartient learned, "one hour after he was elected to the presidency last year," that the Tour de France champion returned a urine test showing "an excess of salbutamol," an asthma medication. As the investigation into the test "dragged on," Lappartient suggested that Team Sky "should go one step beyond UCI rules and suspend Froome until the affair was resolved," which it was a week ago. Lappartient has suggested since that Froome was "exonerated because he rides for a rich team." Lappartient: "Froome had more financial support to find good experts." Brailsford said on Sunday, "I gave [Lappartient] the benefit of the doubt when he started. He's new to the job and he obviously doesn't quite understand the responsibilities of a presidential role. He's still got the kind of local French mayor mentality maybe. If you want to be the president of an international federation, protect everyone in that community. Don't take the French angle, or a nationalistic view." Froome was cleared on the grounds that salbutamol tests are "unreliable," and Brailsford said that rather than criticizing Team Sky for using its budget to protect its rider, the UCI president "should be thanking them for helping to refine the rules around anti-doping" (LONDON TIMES, 7/9). In London, Jeremy Whittle reported Brailsford dismissed Lappartient's position as a "cop-out." Brailsford added, "Justice is justice and whether you are in the smallest team in the professional peloton or the biggest one, the justice and the rules that apply to you should be the same and fair. There should be no issue whatsoever there" (GUARDIAN, 7/8).
FULL DISCLOSURE: The BBC reported Brailsford said that it "would be better" if Lappartient was "clearer" over whether the details of Froome's case could be published. When asked on Thursday if Team Sky would release the evidence used in Froome's case, Brailsford said that it is "up to the UCI" and WADA to publish the details. Lappartient said that he would be "very happy" to publish the "reasoned decision" on Froome's case but required the permission of the rider, although the UCI added in a statement on Friday that there are "important reasons" why WADA does not publish such information, "including to avoid it being abused by riders looking to cheat" (BBC, 7/8).
