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The British Cycling Association was jointly responsible for the best result for British Olympic athletes at the 2012 Summer Games in London
Photo: Bryn Lennon / Getty Images
The World Anti-Doping Agency regards it as proven that the British Cycling Federation, British Cycling, took doping samples from athletes in the run-up to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and analyzed them in private laboratories. Wada announced this on Tuesday evening when the results of the so-called "Operation Echo" were published. The investigation opened in March after media reported allegations that UK anti-doping agency Ukad allowed the association to do so.
According to the Wada report, employees of the association took samples from professional drivers as part of a study and tested them for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone.
Contrary to the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Code, the samples were not taken by independent inspectors and not evaluated in a laboratory accredited by Wada, it said.
The report also states that at least one Ukad employee was aware of it.
The investigation confirmed "possible wrongdoing" by individuals at British Cycling and Ukad, it said in the Wada announcement.
However, the UK Anti-Doping Agency could not establish whether it was aware of the results of the analysis during the events.
There are no penalties
Nonetheless, the Wada does not make any “recommendations for correction”, since the people involved in the events of 2011 are no longer employed in the association or in the Ukad.
The British anti-doping agency has also put in place safety precautions to avoid repetition.
Ukad welcomed the decision.
"The report makes it clear that the results of the tests carried out by British Cycling were all negative," said a statement.
British Cycling said in a statement that the results of the Wada would not blame either the association or the athletes involved.
British Cycling only carried out the tests with Ukad approval.
The events of 2011 described in the report may not repeat themselves today.
The association was jointly responsible for the best result for British Olympic athletes at the 2012 Summer Games in London.
The cyclists won twelve of the 65 medals, eight of them gold.
The team doctor at the time was Richard Freeman, who was found guilty in a doping trial over an ominous testosterone order in mid-March.
ngo / Reuters