Bruyneel ready to cooperate with Belgian investigators

Johan Bruyneel plans for Tour Down Under with Lance Armstrong, r.

Johan Bruyneel plans for Tour Down Under with Lance Armstrong, r. (Image credit: Sirotti)

Former team manager for Lance Armstrong, Johan Bruyneel, is reportedly ready to cooperate with investigators from the Royal Belgian Cycling Federation (RLVB), according to Het Laatste Nieuws.

The RLVB has been looking into allegations that Bruyneel helped to facilitate an organized doping scheme in the US Postal Service team since Floyd Landis first went public with his accusations to that effect in 2010. The charges were forwarded on to the federal prosecutor last October.

Following the confession of Armstrong to doping during all seven of his Tour de France victories, the RLVB is seeking to move forward its investigation to determine if Bruyneel violated its anti-doping regulations.

"We invited Bruyneel to come in," said federal prosecutor Jaak Fransen on Friday. "He said he is formally prepared to cooperate in the investigation, but because he is often abroad the interrogation has not taken place.

"We want to give him an opportunity to give his version of the facts. We planned a meeting for the near future, and we have to wait and see whether he actually will confess."

Other reports in De Telegraaf state that Bruyneel is working on a book that will tell his side of the US Postal story, and that he is still planning to go forward with his arbitration with the US Anti-Doping Agency, which has proposed a lifetime ban from the sport for the Belgian.

"I will continue as long as I feel that I will be given a fair hearing, without prejudice on the part of USADA," Bruyneel said on Wednesday.

Bruyneel was dismissed from his role as general manager of the Radioshack-Nissan team following the release of USADA's reasoned decision documents. He faces a possible lifetime ban from the sport.

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