WADA opens investigation into the rider suspicion list leak

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced it has opened an independent investigation into the source of the leak that led to an internal working document from the UCI being published in French newspaper L’Equipe last week.

The so-called suspicion list, or index of suspicion, rated the 198 riders that started the 2010 Tour de France on a scale of ten to help better target riders for anti-doping testing during the race.

The rankings were said to be based on a combination of the blood tests taken just before the start of the Tour de France and the blood values from the rider’s biological passport. However the UCI did not explain how the individual ranking for each rider were calculated.

The publication of the list sparked uproar amongst the riders, with David Millar calling for some heads to roll at the UCI after the leak. Riders managed by the Belgian-based Celio Sport & Image company and others, are looking at the possibility of suing the UCI for defamation of character and damages.

In a statement, WADA said it would offer its full support to the UCI as it also carries out its own investigation into the embarrassing leak.