Bölts and Schmid admit doping involvement
Ex-pro racer Udo Bölts and physician Dr. Andreas Schmid admitted to involvement in doping Wednesday according to the Radsport-aktiv.
Bölts said he took EPO and growth hormones to increase his output on the bike while riding for Team Telekom (later T-Mobile). He admitted to doping in 1996 in order to make the team's Tour de France squad. Bölts retired in 2003 and is now a director sportif at Gerolsteiner. He has taken part in twelve consecutive Tours de France, from 1992 to 2003. In 1996 and 1997, he was a key domestique for two teammates and winners of the Tour, Bjarne Riis and Jan Ullrich.
Already suspended from his role as team doctor for T-Mobile, Freiburg sporting doctor Schmid admitted to having been involved in the doping practices of riders on the Telekom team, and its successor, T-Mobile, beginning in the mid-1990's. "I admit to having supported the doping of individual pro racers since the mid-1990's," said Schmid according to the dpa. He is considering terminating his role as a sport physician at the University hospital of Freiburg.
Doctors Andreas Schmid and Lothar Heinrich were both named by former soigneur Jef d'Hont in his book as having provided illegal doping products to Team Telekom members during the 1996 Tour de France. The two are facing an investigation by the Freiburg, Germany, prosecutor's office. Both have already been suspended by Team T-Mobile and are under investigation by the University Clinic Freiburg.
Schmid's admission represents a change tune. He denied charges of being involved in doping last week and had said, "I reject the charges made against me by the Belgian former soigneur. They have no basis in fact. I have never given athletes EPO or growth hormones, provided it to athletes or so-called soigneurs or sent an athlete a plan for the use of doping preparations, nor prepared such a plan."
Any more proof needed that Bob Stapleton and the rest of the T-Mobile management a hypocritical?
The T-Mobile Team has called a press conference for Thursday mid-day, at which Sport Director Rolf Aldag is expected to confess to having used doping products while riding for the team in the mid-1990s. Team manager Bob Stapleton flew back Wednesday from Italy to Germany to prepare for the ordeal, and indicated that Aldag would not be fired.
"I think that Rolf is very committed and very much supports what we are doing now," Stapleton told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "He simply had a moment of weakness and now we have to see that we all come out of it and continue on with him."
"Of course we had a few personal things to talk about between ourselves," he continued. "But everything that he has done has convinced me and was practically perfect. He hasn't made any mistakes in his current activity as Sport Director." However, Stapleton noted, "he should of course have been more open about his past, that's clear. But it is my plan to continue working with Rolf. He is still the best choice for the position, and he is still capable of doing the job."
No mistakes? Lies about drug use, hypocritical attackts on Jan, and allowing admitted doping doctor(s) to work with the team I suppose constitutes the "new way forward" for T-Mobile.