Cycling remains beset by drug problems, Daniel Baal, president of the French Cycling Federation (FFC), admitted today to a court judging the Festina doping case. Giving evidence to the hearing as a civil witness, Baal said the sport must "get rid of its vices, which are doping and agreements between riders during races".
"Cycling today is still not a clean sport," he said. Between the years of 1996 and 1998, Baal said it was felt that the majority of riders had access to drugs, particularly EPO (erythropoietin).
"Some used the drugs regularly, others used them for major events to avoid looking ridiculous, but I am sure that others took nothing at all," he said. He added that the use of drugs was a "professional temptation".
The Festina case has become the biggest doping scandal in cycling history after the entire Festina team were kicked out of the 1998 Tour de France following the discovery of 40 bottles of doping products, including EPO, in a team car. The car's driver, Willy Voet, and Festina manager Bruno Roussel are among the defendants, along with star rider Richard Virenque, who has admitted taking illegal performance-enhancing substances.
Filed by Seán Folan
