(escapecollective.com)
The Ineos Grenadiers head soigneur with alleged ties to a doctor convicted of doping will stay in his role with the team, sources say.
Kristof Ramon
It was the big Tour de France story away from the actual bike racing: an investigation by German media outlet ARD revealed that a Team Sky staff member who still worked at Ineos Grenadiers had allegedly contacted the disgraced German doctor Mark Schmidt before the 2012 Tour asking for the same “stuff” that the now-defunct Milram team once used.
While ARD didn't initially name the individual, other outlets did, and ARD later confirmed him to be Ineos’ head carer, David Rozman. After ARD's report gained notice and other media began reporting on it during the Tour, the Slovenian was first told by Ineos to stay away from the stage start and finish towns, before he eventually left the race.
Throughout it all, Ineos stood by Rozman, and the team’s principal, Sir Dave Brailsford, repeatedly refused to answer questions about him, even at one point swearing at reporters as he evaded their questions.
Dave Brailsford won’t talk about the 2012 Tour de France
After an ARD investigation linked a longtime staffer to a doctor at the heart of a doping ring, the team has refused to answer questions about the claims.
Escape CollectiveCaley Fretz
Since then: silence. No word on Rozman’s position with Ineos, and no word on whether or not the International Testing Agency (ITA), the body that oversees anti-doping tests in cycling and many other sports, had indeed interviewed Rozman post-Tour about the historic communications, as it promised it would.
Ineos confirms doping investigators want to talk with staffer about 2012 allegations
In a statement, the team said the International Testing Agency has formally requested an interview and soigneur David Rozman has left the Tour de France.
Escape CollectiveJoe Lindsey
But there is some resolution to Rozman's future, as multiple sources close to him and Ineos told Escape Collective that Rozman is staying put with the team.