Belgian won’t yet consider absence as non-cooperation but case may proceed in his absence
Although Johan Bruyneel indicated to the Belgian state prosecutor Jaak Fransen earlier this month that he was ready to cooperate with an investigation into doping being conducted by the Royal Belgian Cycling Federation, the RLVB, he will be a no show at a hearing tomorrow.
“Whether this is a delay tactic or not, that I cannot say,” Fransen told the Associated Press. “As of yet, I do not consider this as non-cooperation. In the past, he always said he would be willing to cooperate. We will look if we can proceed without his attendance.”
Bruyneel was twice previously invited to speak to Fransen, but did not do so on either occasion.
The Belgian director is facing a lifetime ban from working in the sport from the US Anti Doping Agency, and is scheduled to undergo a hearing in the United States at a date which is yet to be set this year. If he is found guilty, the sanction will likely be enforceable worldwide.
The RLVB’s disciplinary hearing is a separate process but could also result in a similar punishment.
Bruyneel has been accused of several anti-doping violations in connection with his management of the US Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams, an enquiry which has already handed a lifetime ban to Lance Armstrong, Michele Ferrari and others.
Amongst the charges against him are that he supplied banned products to riders and either encouraged or coerced them to use doping substances.
Like Armstrong he repeatedly denied the charges. The Texan has now reversed his position, saying on the Oprah Winfrey show that he doped for many years. He did not mention Bruyneel on the programme.