Cycling: Millar condemns Rabobank for withdrawing backing from professional teams

Saturday 20 October 2012

DAVID MILLAR has criticised a decision by one of professional cycling's biggest sponsors to pull out of the sport due to the crisis sparked by the Lance Armstrong doping revelations.

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Herald Staff

The Dutch bank Rabobank, principal sponsor of one of the top teams, will end their 17-year involvement on December 31. The move came after the team suspended their Spanish rider Carlos Barredo after the International Cycling Union (UCI) launched a doping case against him.

A former team member, Levi Leipheimer, one of 11 former team-mates of Armstrong who testified against him to the US anti-doping agency (USADA), said he took EPO while with Rabobank assisted by their team doctor. He also testified that other members of the Rabobank team used banned substances.Scot Millar said on Twitter: "Dear Rabobank, you were part of the problem. How dare you walk away from your young clean guys who are part of the solution. Sickening."Rabobank confirmed on their website that their sponsorship deals in amateur cycling will continue but they will sever ties with their men's and women's professional teams.Bert Bruggink, a member of Rabobank's managing board, said: "It is with pain in our heart, but for the bank this is an inevitable decision."We are no longer convinced the international professional world of cycling can make this a clean and fair sport. We are not confident this will change for the better in the foreseeable future."The UCI said in a statement: "In light of the difficult period, namely the high public interest in past doping issues and perhaps a more recent action taken by the UCI against a rider of the team, the UCI understand the context which has led to this decision being reached.' The UCI also said its president, Pat McQuaid, would reveal the body's response to the USADA report in Geneva on Monday.Meanwhile, John Fahey, the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, said they will consider holding a doping amnesty across all sports once the USADA investigation is complete.

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Cycling: Millar condemns Rabobank for withdrawing backing from professional teams

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