FRANCE: THREE OFFICIALS FROM THE DUTCH CYCLING TEAM TVM GO ON TRIAL FOR THEIR PART IN A DOPING SCANDAL

Record ID: 649171

  • Title: FRANCE: THREE OFFICIALS FROM THE DUTCH CYCLING TEAM TVM GO ON TRIAL FOR THEIR PART IN A DOPING SCANDAL
  • Date: 28th May 2001
  • Summary: REIMS, FRANCE (28 MAY, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. EXTERIOR OF LAWCOURTS 2. FOYER OF LAWCOURTS, EXTERIOR COURTROOM 3. DOCUMENTS IN COURTROOM 4. VIEW OF COURTROOM 5. DOCUMENTS IN COURTROOM 6. TAG ON BUNDLES OF EVIDENCE 7. WIDE VIEW OF COURTROOM 8. EVIDENCE AND DOCUMENTS ON TABLE 9. LAWYERS ENTERING COURTROOM FOLLOWED BY TVM SPORTING DIRECTOR CEES PRIEM, TRAINER JAN MORRS AND RUSSIAN MEDIC ANDREI MIKHAILOV 10. JUDGES 11. CEES PRIEM 12. JAN MORRS AND ANDREI MIKHAILOV 13. CEES PRIEM 14. JUDGES/COURT OFFICIALS CALL OUT NAMES OF THOSE STANDING TRIAL (FRENCH) 15. JAN MORRS, ANDREI MIKHAILOV AND CEES PRIEM AT STAND 16. JAN MORRS 17. ANDREI MIKHAILOV 18. CEES PRIEM 19. MORRS, MIKHAILOV AND PRIEM TOGETHER 20. WS COURTROOM 21. MORRS AND MIKHAILOV 22. LAWYERS AS COURT IS CLEARED 23. LAWCOURTS FOYER 24. COURTROOM DOORS CLOSING Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: REIMS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA59IAKJGS3767W0DZQR3JF79QK
  • Story Text: Three officials from the Dutch cycling team TVM went on
    trial in France for their part in a doping scandal that has
    rocked the sport.



    The trial in the northern town of Reims on Monday (May
    28) coincided with the start of a separate judicial hearing in
    the western French city of Poitiers in which amateur cyclists
    further tarnished the sport's image by admitting to widespread
    drug abuse.

    The three TVM officials, team sporting director Cees
    Priem, trainer Jan Moors and Russian medic Andrei Mikhailov,
    were charged with the illegal use of toxic substances
    following the discovery of the banned hormone EPO in a team
    car in 1998.

    They face a maximum three years in jail.

    Their case comes the year after members of another top
    cycling team, Festina, admitted in court that they had used
    illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

    The team's manager and trainer were subsequently given
    suspended jail sentences.

    The TVM scandal hit the headlines in March 1998 when
    customs officials uncovered 104 doses of the banned hormone
    EPO in a TVM team car.

    Priem and Mikhailov were later arrested and questioned and
    all the team's cyclists were tested.

    The tests showed the cyclists had used what are held under
    French law to be toxic products, including anabolic steroids
    and growth hormones.

    Reims prosecutor Serge Dintroz said in March the TVM
    hearing was likely to be less complicated than the Festina
    trial.

    However, like the Festina trial in October 2000, the TVM
    trial is likely to expose again the inefficiency of French and
    international cycling organisations in the fight against
    doping a month before this year's Tour de France starts.

    Some 10 experts, including cyclists, police officers and
    customs officials are expected to give evidence at the
    hearing, a month before this year's Tour de France begins.

    Separately, amateur cyclists testifying on the first day
    of a doping trial in Poitiers on Monday said they frequently
    injected a potentially lethal cocktail of drugs including
    heroin and cocaine to boost their energy.



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