Timeline of UKAD investigation into Team Sky and British Cycling

It was announced on Wednesday November 15, 2017, that the UKAD investigation into an 'allegation of wrongdoing' involving Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky,  British Cycling, and a mystery medical package had closed, and that no charges would be brought against any of the parties involved. It is a story that has run and run for over a year - fuelled by claims and counter claims, information and misinformation - and the lack of a definitive conclusion from UKAD means it still has legs. 

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The facts are that British Cycling employee Simon Cope travelled from the UK to France to transport a medical package to the Team Sky bus on the final day of the Critérium du Dauphiné, and that it was then administered to Wiggins by Dr Richard Freeman. What was in the package - was it triamcinolone, banned in competition, or was it fluimucil, a legal decongestant - was the great mystery, and UKAD acknowledged in their closing statement that is likely it will never be known. 

In this timeline, we track the development of the story, from the origins of the allegations, through a parliamentary inquiry, to the conclusion of the investigation, and the impassioned reaction from Wiggins after more than a year of silence. 

October 7, 2016: UKAD confirm investigation into 'allegations of wrongdoing in cycling' after the Daily Mail's story on a medical delivery to Team Sky via British Cycling employee Simon Cope. 

October 8, 2016: UK Anti-Doping 'swoop' into British Cycling - investigators visited British Cycling at the Manchester Velodrome.

Meanwhile, speculation continued around what was in the package and whether or not Team Sky was operating in a 'grey area'. Former performance director Peter Keen said the case highlighted concerns he had already raised surrounding the connections between the publicly-funded British Cycling programs and the professional, privately funded, Team Sky.

Parliamentary hearing

In late October British Cycling was informed that Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport select committee had some questions about the case. The hearings took place on December 19, with Shane Sutton confirming that the package was delivered for Wiggins and was of a medical nature. David Brailsford then took the stand and said that he was told by the Team Sky doctor that the package contained the decongestant Fliumucil. But British Cycling executives said they had no knowledge this was the case, and have since been unable to provide documentary proof that this is what the package contained.
 
October 28, 2016: Parliament to look into Wiggins 'mystery package' - News shorts
November 9, 2016: Brailsford summoned to parliamentary inquiry into anti-doping and ethics
December 3, 2016: Froome still 'in the dark' over details of Wiggins controversy
December 9, 2016: Wiggins unlikely to face punishment over 'mystery package'
December 14, 2016: Cookson calls on Team Sky to give full disclosure of contents of mysterious Jiffy bag
December 17, 2016: UKAD investigation rolls on as Brailsford's parliamentary questioning looms
December 18, 2016: 'They can never take my package', says Wiggins in Instagram post
December 19, 2016: Sutton admits 2011 Dauphine medical package was for Wiggins
December 19, 2016: Brailsford says mysterious package contained legal drug Fluimucil
December 19, 2016: What is Fluimucil and why would Wiggins need it?
December 19, 2016: British Cycling deny knowledge of mystery package contents
December 20, 2016: Daily Mail claims Brailsford tried to 'kill' the mystery package story
December 20, 2016: Brailsford's failure to convince only fuels further scepticism
December 21, 2016: Brailsford facing further questions after conflicting statements emerge

December 21, 2016: A disaster for Team Sky and Dave Brailsford? Podcast from Parliament
December 22, 2016: British Cycling to hand over medical details to Parliamentary Committee this week
December 23, 2016: Wiggins' former doctor likens Fluimucil story to the Armstrong days
December 29, 2016: British Cycling unable to confirm contents of Wiggins' medical package
December 29, 2016: Nicole Cooke questions why Simon Cope was acting as Sky courier
December 30, 2016: British Cycling warned about Team Sky relationship months before Cope's delivery

2017 season begins with Sky and Brailsford under scrutiny

January 7, 2017: Froome refuses to back Brailsford over recent controversies
January 8, 2017: UKAD chairman labels British Cycling's and Brailsford's parliamentary evidence 'extraordinary'
January 10, 2017: Brailsford determined to continue with Team Sky despite growing controversies
January 20, 2017: 'I know Wiggins never doped,' says former teammate
January 24, 2017: Cooke 'sceptical' about Team Sky's use of TUEs and Wiggins' jiffy bag
January 30, 2017: Cope and Freeman asked to appear in front of doping inquiry
January 30, 2017: Cope: Select committee? I am meant to be at a Wiggins camp
February 8, 2017: Cope yet to agree on committee date over Wiggins package
February 9, 2017: Howden steps down as chair of British Cycling
February 28, 2017: Bradley Wiggins doctor pulls out of anti-doping select hearing due to illness
March 1, 2017: Cope feels 'stitched up' over role in Team Sky mystery-package saga
March 1, 2017: Team Sky and British Cycling 'left in terrible position' - Collins
March 1, 2017: British Cycling admits failures in Wiggins medical delivery
March 1, 2017: UKAD launch damning attack on Team Sky and British Cycling over medical practices
March 2, 2017: Bradley Wiggins' former doctor remains sceptical over Fluimucil story
March 3, 2017: Bradley Wiggins' doctor provided Team Sky staff with triamcinolone
March 4, 2017: Brailsford: Freeman gave me an injection of triamcinolone
March 4, 2017: De Jongh: I can't see Brailsford lasting at Team Sky
March 5, 2017: UKAD reveals Freeman received delivery of testosterone in 2011
March 6, 2017: Exclusive: Team Sky riders consider asking Brailsford to resign
March 6, 2017: Team Sky riders voice support for Brailsford
March 7, 2017: Thomas supports Brailsford and complains of 'unfair' media coverage
March 7, 2017: Brailsford explains Fluimucil delivery, insists there was no anti-doping rule violation
March 8, 2017: Deignan: Brailsford is the guy we want in the job
March 8, 2017: Froome refuses to join Sky teammates in signing statement of support for Brailsford
March 8, 2017: WADA studying ban on corticosteroids after Wiggins controversy
March 9, 2017: Brailsford travels to Tirreno-Adriatico, thanks Thomas for public support
March 10, 2017: Dave Brailsford says he will not quit Team Sky
March 11, 2017: Roche: It's always the next generation that pays
March 13, 2017: Pooley on Brailsford: A fish rots from the head
March 13, 2017: Froome breaks silence and backs beleaguered Brailsford
March 14, 2017: Team Sky doctor previously bought Fluimucil from Swiss pharmacy
March 17, 2017: Team Sky leadership should take responsibility and not blame Freeman, says MP
March 28, 2017: Team Sky management aware of Bradley Wiggins' triamcinolone use, says former doctor

Case closed

November 15, 2017: No doping charges for Wiggins, Team Sky and British Cycling over mystery package
November 15, 2017: General Medical Council to look into UKAD evidence, but not jiffy bag
November 15, 2017: Bradley Wiggins: UKAD investigation felt like a witch hunt

Select Committee publishes its findings

March 2, 2018: Questions raised over whether testosterone was ordered at Team Sky and British Cycling HQ
March 5 2018: UKAD: Jiffy bag investigation remains closed following Select Committee report
March 5, 2018: British MPs want criminal charges for doping suppliers
March 5, 2018: British Cycling respond to DCMS report
March 5, 2018: Bradley Wiggins tells BBC he '100% did not cheat'
March 5, 2018: Opinion: Brailsford must resign for Team Sky to survive
March 5, 2018: Select Committee's report darkens clouds over Team Sky and Brailsford
March 5, 2018: Bradley Wiggins quickly dismisses drug claims in DCMS report
March 5, 2018: Landis: I can't see Team Sky surviving to the Tour de France
March 6, 2018: Bradley Wiggins: I can't change the last five years
March 6, 2018: Rasmussen: Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky crossed the line

 

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