Wiggins fractures leg while training for TV show

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Bradley Wiggins has been forced to withdraw from the reality television series, The Jump, after fracturing his leg while training. The injury reportedly took place while Wiggins was involved in snow-cross training, which is a cross between ice skating and skiing. 

Wiggins announced his decision to leave the show via Twitter, writing in a series of tweets: "Gutted to be leaving The Jump. I wanted to give you an injury update... 1/2 Seen a specialist, I have a small leg fracture & need to rest for 3/6 weeks. Good news no surgery or cast required.

"2/2 Huge thanks to the crew & good luck to all of the cast. Due to the way the show is filmed I'll still be on until show 4, so tune in."

Wiggins added, "No horror smash, small training injury which means I can't compete. No terrible break, no cast, just need to rest it."

The training reportedly took place in Austria, with Wiggins having flown back to England to see a specialist who confirmed the severity of the injury. 

During the first week of The Jump, Wiggins tore a left calf muscle but was able to continue in the show until his leg fracture during the second week. It is not the first time a contestant on The Jump has suffered a serious injury. In 2016, former gymnast Beth Twiddle required surgery on her spine after a crash in which she fractured two vertebrae. She was one of several contestants to be forced out that year due to injuries.

The 2012 Tour de France champion retired from cycling at the end of 2016, signing up for the television show that features a mixture of celebrities and former athletes competing in a range of winter sports. 

Read more...

• Brailsford says mysterious package contained legal drug Fluimucil
• Daily Mail claims Brailsford tried to 'kill' the mystery package story
• Timeline of UKAD investigation into Team Sky and British Cycling
• What is Fluimucil and why would Wiggins need it?
• Brailsford dodges questions about UKAD investigation at Team Sky's Mallorca camp

Prior to joining The Jump, Wiggins had maintained a low profile following the leaking of his Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) files - which was part of a wider leak by the hackers Fancy Bears - and the UK Anti-Doping Agency investigation into a package couriered by Simon Cope to Team Sky at the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine.

A parliamentary committee has called on several key witnesses regarding the contents of the jiffy bag, whose contents were revealed by Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford. The ongoing controversy has dominated the winter with UKAD's investigation still ongoing. While Wiggins is unlikely to face punishment, Team Sky and British Cycling could still be reprimanded.

Damian Collins, the Chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of British Parliament, recently told Cyclingnews that unless the team can provide a paper trail to confirm the jiffy bagcontained Fluimucil, it "raises concerns about the way in which the ethics, the actual doping laws are enforced."

Simon Cope, the now Team WIGGINS team manager and jiffy bag courier, along with Dr Richard Freedman were invited to a hearing on February 22. However, Cope is yet to agree on new committee date.

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