Bradley Wiggins, the 2012 Tour de France winner, has given the most complete rationale yet for the controversy over his legal use of banned drugs to the Guardian William Fotheringham. This is the full transcript of their interview
William Fotheringham: Brad, can you explain about the allergy which is behind these TUEs ?
Bradley Wiggins: Ive got a history of allergy to pollen. Ive got a timeline. Ive been racking my brains for the last few days right back to the first time I had real problems with it, problems it was causing me in races. The 2003 Giro was the first time I truly struggled with it, the first time Id gone to a three-week stage race and noticed it, a noticeable change to performance. More than that, when I had a severe attack, the day after I was wiped out[ Wiggins was eliminated from the 2003 Giro after the 18 th stage where he was outside the time limit ].
WF : What exactly is it? BW : Uncontrollable sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, the urge to rub my eyes constantly, and in doing that the eyes becoming bloodshot extreme. My breathing became restricted, like exhaling through a straw at times. The first person I actually consultation with this and made aware of it was Dr Roger Palfreeman who was the then British Cycling physician. All that would be on my medical records at BC, I assume.
I completed a series of lung function tests in 2003 in his office, the results of which were sent to the UCI and he pushed hard with the French Federation I was racing for a French squad at that time and the UCI. Im not sure what it would have been called but it was the equivalent of todays TUE. Back then at a pro team it would be written in your health volume, it would be for two inhalers, fluticazone and salbutamol it was the red inhaler basically. It was all agreed, stamped off and sent to the French Federation.
In 2004 I went through the same process again, but I required authorisation to compete at the summer Olympics under IOC doping regulations. So I had to complete another series of lung function exams, at the Manchester velodrome conducted by Andrea Wooles, who was in charge of that. Shes now married to the Canadian performance director Richard Wooles.
Again, I did the lung function tests, all was well and I got authorisation from the IOC. From 2005 to 2008 those applications were renewed each January to cover me for the season. They were all to be undertaken by Roger Palfreeman, because I was riding for three different squads through that era.
So my continual touch-base was always back in Manchester with BC, because of the language thing. The French doctors were always changing. By 2008 I was with the American team High Road, again there was a series of various types of physicians so it was always easier to hold that continuing with the doctor[ at BC] so there were no mistakes. Every January I was certified to use these inhalers.
Then up to 2009, I joined Garmin, another American squad. Through that year I had contact with various each member of Garmins medical squad at races, but my main point of contact remained Dr Roger Palfreeman. In that period it was always Roger.
In 2010 I raced the Giro and the Tour which coincided with the pollen season. Historically for me it was May, June, July. Even though I performed well in the[ 2010] Giro, won the prologue, by the time we moved further south the symptoms became, as per usual at the Giro. As I said in 2003, 2005, it was always the same. I was under continual medication as Id always been so it was two Clarityns per day, one in the morning, one at night, nasal sprayings, inhalers two in the morning two at night, eye fells again as and when. I was on the maximum for over-the-counter products. I struggled in the Tour that year with it, a mixture of allergies, crashing, a mixed bag of stuff really.
[ Wiggins finished 40 th in the Giro, having won the prologue in Amsterdam; he finished 23 rd in the Tour ] BW : Then it was 2011. I raced through to Paris-Roubaix that year, had a knee trauma and needed a breaking after that. I didnt race again until 26 April, the Tour of Romandie. It was pretty wet and cold all week so I didnt actually display any symptoms. We ran straight-out from there to Tenerife on 13 May. Thats a volcanic landscape so Ive never fought with allergies up there, theres no grass etc.
I came back from there, did the national day trial championships week after on 21 May, had first signs of symptoms being back home about nine days before I went to the Bayern Rundfahrt in Germany. I did Bayern Rundfahrt and won the time trial, the second-last stage, but Id been affected by the pollen all week, it was quite a hot week, that time of year. I felt Id lost the race because of it. I was starting to go really well, off the back of the altitude training etc. But Id had quite a vicious assault with it earlier in the week and it felt like it always did leave me feeling a little bit weak the next day.
I recovered enough in time to win the time trial, went home for four days before travelling off to the Dauphin Libr. Dr Freeman was the race physician for us there. I hadnt considered him since Paris-Nice;[ my] symptoms continued, as in hows it going Brad? Im genuinely struggling with these allergies, I had a terrible assault last week. As per usual in races the doctor will always check: have you got any minor niggles, anything we can do to help you at this stage?
So I was still complaining of the usual symptoms, the standard stuff, but the form was good and I was in a good place after being at altitude and everything.
He suggested at that time that when you go back to Manchester lets go and watch an independent expert and see if there is anything you can change of the drug youre already on, and have been on for a number of years now, or if there is anything were not doing. Hell do blood tests, operate a series of tests on you and assure what goes of it.
I was quite sceptical at this stage because Id learned to live with and manage this for my whole career pretty much all the tablets, nasal sprayings, eyedrops etc. I didnt believe much more of it, did the Dauphin, won the Dauphin, still had the usual symptoms throughout but it wasnt something that, other than asking the doctor can I have some more Clarityn or can I have another nasal spray, or my inhalers nearly running out, it wasnt something that I was hollering from the rooftops or complaints about because I had learnt to manage this, although ineffectively. It was something that Id learned to live with. Id had to get on and manage this.
So after the Dauphin[ which finished on 12 June] we ran straight to[ the Italian ski resort of] Sestriere for a week training at altitude to top it up, so I didnt go home.
I crashed on the last day at the camp on the descent of the Col de la Croix de Fer, so I travelled home straight afterwards, the next couple of days was about get therapy, physio, attaining sure everything was all right before I had to travel to the national road race a couple of weeks later. So I did all that. I heard nothing more of going and watching functional specialists.
WF: Had you insured the specialist at this stage ? BW : I hadnt been home yet. So I did all that[ before the national championship Wiggins also attended a Team Sky press day in Richmond ], went to the nationals[ which were in Stamfordham, Northumberland on 26 June ], won the nationals, and coming back from the national I insured the specialist then on 28 June at the Beaumont hospital in Bolton. This was the first time Id been home long enough and it was only a couple of days until we travelled to the Tour[ which started on 2 July ]. I insured the specialist, he did a full examination of me, blood tests, this that and another, I went home and he compiled his report for Richard Freeman. Thats the report he made to Richard Freeman. Upon doing that the drug he suggested in there would need an application for a TUE. I was still unaware at this stage of what was happening because it was the first time Id considered functional specialists. Richard called me and said: youve been granted authorisation for a TUE based on watching Dr Hargreaves and that was that. He showed me the TUE application, he showed me the TUE certificate. [ This is what features on the Fancy Bears website .] And it was administered. At that time it was like this is going to cure This is going to go a long way towards you not having any problems for the next three weeks now.
So that was 2011. That was the first time Id been granted permission for the TUE. Obviously I crashed out of that[ 2011] Tour .
Then into 2012. Patently[ a good] start to the year[ Wiggins won a stage in the Tour of Algarve and won Paris-Nice in early March ]. In April we were in Tenerife, you came up there to do an interview I remember [ in fact Fotheringham attained the trip in mid-May, the piece appearing in the Guardian on 22 May ].
No symptoms up in April, up in Tenerife. Straight back from Tenerife to the Tour of Romandie, I won the first and last stages, we were up in the mountains and I didnt display any symptoms.
And then we find Pre-empting coming into May, June, July we find Dr Hargreaves again, went back to see the specialist for a second series of tests, blood results etc, and again left that, you dont get the findings
Back to Majorca in mid-May with the family educate, went straight from there to Tenerife from May 14 -2 5 [ this was in fact when the Guardian interview took place ], no symptoms up there.
Then I came back end of May, started to get the onset of symptoms then, once I was back home, we live surrounded by fields and timbers, flowers and things so straight away Id come out of that bubble in Tenerife and was straight into the onset of symptoms. Started all the usual, Clarityn, this that and the other, went to the Dauphin, symptoms carried on as per usual, won the Dauphin, then on to
WF: How is it you can win the Dauphin in spite of the symptoms ? BW : As I said before Id learnt to manage it. And some days were worse than others, some days Id be fine, Id come in the bus, Id be absolutely fine depending where we were. If we were on top of a mountain itd be completely different to if we were finishing in a town, a small village or something. You could never predict.
One thing I would constantly have is a blocked nose. Id be constantly like I was full of a cold. Particularly when I was lying down, having a massage on my front, my nose would fill up and you could hear it in my voice talking afterwards. People would say, have you got a cold, youre not ill are you? No, Ive got hay fever, allergies. It was just a constant thing. That didnt stop me from being able to perform and train, it was kind of A plenty of it I saw was a build up. If I was symptomatic for a long period over day I found that I really weakened off and Id notice the effects more. But if Id been somewhere like Tenerife for two weeks , no symptoms That year I travelled a lot, I was either in Majorca or I was in Tenerife and very rarely at home.
WF: Its basically that same picture throughout 2012 and 2013 ? BW : In 2012 when we assured Dr Hargreaves We saw him on 8 May that year. Thats his report from that. Richard would have applied for a TUE again, we assume. I havent find Richards records of when he made the applications, Ive merely ensure the 2011 one. So that was that really. I simply carried on with my day undertaking really , not knowing whether marriage be granted a TUE or whether we wouldnt be granted a TUE, whether a TUE application had been built. It was kind of I left that to the medical squad. They discussed these things.
I was in a squad, Id been not only in Team Sky but British Cycling before that so I knew how these things would operate. Theyve discussed with you in the past, the RDTs,[ Rider Development Teams; a forum within British Cycling where coach-and-fours and experts dealing with a particular rider will go through issues such as senior management] where they would go through each rider with the whole supporting crew around them coach-and-four, physio, this that and the other. Wheres this rider at, what can we do to help him at this stage?
So I knew these things were discussed, I knew that at some point person would say OK so where is Brad at now? Is he on top of his allergies? What is he doing this week? It was in Year in Yellow in the film Dave[ Brailsford ], Shane[ Sutton ], Tim[ Kerrison ], sitting in the office talking about my training Brads power, where is he up to? I simply carried on with my day undertaking until I was told youre doing this or youre doing that.
We didnt come back from the Dauphin[ which finished on June 10 ], we went straight-out to Chtel for post-Tour[ sic he must actually entail pre-Tour] camp, recon, looking at the time trial etc, ran straight from there to Majorca with the family as we used to do then to get a week in before the Tour, then is coming from Majorca on June 25 which was a Monday. We set off for the Tour on a Wednesday that year which would have been the 27 th, by which hour Richard had contacted me and said we had been granted a TUE based on Dr Hargreaves report. We had thought that was the best course of action to take. Id been granted a TUE for the same drug I was on last year. So that was that, that was 2012. It was administered
WF: Youve painted a pretty consistent painting here
BW : This is my history, as I see it, for my allergies. This aint me concealing behind anyone else, this is as I have lived, being with different teams throughout the years, until I was in the care of Dr Richard Freeman at BC. He was the first physician to actually get me to a specialist for that.
WF: In 2010 why didnt you have the TUE?
BW : It wasnt suggested to me. Aside from complaining about the normal symptoms Im on Clarityn, are you able give me some of that, have we got loadings on the race when we go to the Giro or the Tour? Can we have the nasal spray that Im on? Just checking the usual stuff, eyedrops, red inhalers, blue salbutamol inhalers never at any point was it suggested that we go and insure functional specialists. At the end of the day I was the asset in that period, the team leader, concentrating on training and everything else. The team of people around me, they all had a different job to do. WF: Did you know what Kenalog was? You knew it was cortisone ? BW : Yes.
WF: That didnt fear you in any way?
BW : I believe There is a taboo around it but its erm As I told, I suppose I said it on the Andrew Marr Show, my job as canadian athletes when someone tells right this is the course, this is what Dr Hargreaves has recommended we take, weve shall be used for the TUE, youve been granted authorisation to take it, but what is it? Of course. You ask, I always ask whats going in my body. Kenalog, cortisone in other words. You get told its that tri whatever it is[ triamcinolone ], in other words cortisone. All right. Then its the same old thing: “theyre using” that to treat hay fever allergies because at the end of the day its an antihistamine, a very strong, powerful antihistamine. [ This is not actually the suit, Kenalog and its ilk are synthetic hormones which act on the entire immune reply; an antihistamine specifically counters the effects of the inflammatory chemical histamine .]
What doses are they devoting? 40 milligrams? Isnt that what they always are applied to usual topics, youve read it in the book, isnt that what they used to use? Yes, but they were taking that in much larger amounts, as and when, to perform or to lose weight. They were basically abusing this drug.
This was for 40 mg, intramuscularly, and having been authorised to use it as well, much like the inhalers which are corticosteroids as well, other people that have had bee stingings that have to have pen-whatever it is[ probably referring to EpiPen, used for bee stings ]. So I was fully aware of this medication and the taboo surrounding it all the misuse and the abuse of this medication in the past.
WF: And that didnt worry you?
BW : No, it was for a very specific thing to treat something that was historically a problem for me and could be quite a serious problem for me. The problem with it was it was unpredictable. I couldnt say, well, this was going to happen on this day or wonder what the climate is going to if we are going to have a hot Tour, if were going to have all this stuff floating around the air, that the helicopters chopping up from flying over.
At that stage it was quite clear I was going well, all of a sudden Id become a potential favourite for the Tour de France, or certainly get on the podium.
Id returned to the sort I was in in 2009 and the only thing that could really prevent me from achieving that was if I struggled with allergies during the race. It happens. It happened with Quintana this year. He wasnt himself because of it or he cited those problems. It had been on certain days in the past a real problem for me.
WF: Why didnt you mention the allergy in the book? Its not in the book. [ This is a reference to the account of 2010-12 My Time ghostwritten by the interviewer ]. And it wasnt there when we did the interviews for the book . BW : To be honest, this was something Id lived with since I was 15 years of age. Id had attacks when I was 15 at adolescent races in Norwich and stuff in the summer. My mother suffers from it terribly. Its a genetic thing. Its something Id got used to. Its not something I was going to stand on Tv in 2010 and tell Ill be honest with you, I remember doing an interview at the top of a mountain, Ax-Trois-Domaines. Id had a shocking day, I remember coming down the descent sneezing me head off, blowing snot out of my nose, unable to breath, I got fallen on the last climbing and got to the finish.[ Australian journalist] John Trevorrow did an interview with me, I just said, Im fucked, empty, Ive got nothing left.
It was all in reference to poor sort, struggling with allergies but Im not going to sit there I was paranoid about making excuses: Ah, my allergies have kicked in. Id learned to live with this thing. It wasnt something I was going to shout from the rooftops and use as an excuse and say, my allergies have started off again. Thats convenient isnt it Brad, your allergies started when you got dropped.
I didnt mention it in the book. Id come off a season of Id won everything that year. When I was writing the book I wasnt sat there thinking, Id better bring my allergies up. I was flying on cloud nine after predominating the sport all year. It wasnt something that I brought to mind.
Like I told, Ive lived with this. All the doctors over the years Ive been with in various teams will verify that I was always complaining of allergies. It will be in my medical records, the things they devoted to me.