Brian Cookson confirms he knew about Chris Froome's adverse drug test before leaving UCI post

Brian Cookson was made aware of four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome's adverse analytical finding in his final hours in office as head of cycling's governing body.

The UCI president from September 2013 to September 2017, Cookson lost his bid for re-election as France's David Lappartient won the vote on 21 September.

The former British Cycling president and member of Team Sky's supervisory board had on Thursday said he had "no role or influence" in how Froome's case, or that of any other rider, had been handled.

Froome is under scrutiny after a test during his La Vuelta win in September showed elevated levels of the asthma drug salbutamol, which could result in an anti-doping rule violation and a ban. The onus is on the Team Sky rider to prove his innocence.

On Saturday Cookson issued a further statement, which read: "I was informed that Chris Froome had provided an A sample with an anomalous result for a substance that did not result in an immediate provisional suspension the last 24 hours of my tenure at UCI.

"When I left the UCI the following day, the matter passed to the new president and, rightly, I was no longer informed about the matter.

"I cannot comment further on this or any other ongoing case."

Cookson had, on Thursday, said Froome's adverse analytical finding was a matter for the independent CADF (Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation) and the Legal Anti-Doping Service supervised by an external lawyer.

His statement on Thursday added: "As UCI president, I therefore had no role or influence in any individual case.

"I had then, and still have today, confidence in the integrity of all those involved, that they would always follow the correct procedures in every case, and that no rider was treated in any way differently from any other."

Froome, who won a fourth Tour last July, had double the permitted level of salbutamol in a urine test taking during his victory in La Vuelta, the Tour of Spain.

The result is not automatically classified as a positive test and the 32-year-old has not been suspended, but he must provide a satisfactory explanation for the test results or he faces a ban and the loss of his Vuelta title.

Froome has denied any wrongdoing and said he is providing all the necessary information to the UCI.

The situation is a complicated one. There are possible explanations as to why an athlete would return such a high reading of salbutamol even if they only took the allowed dosage.

News of Froome's adverse test, made public following reporting by the Guardian and French newspaper Le Monde, increased the pressure on Team Sky. It came soon after the inconclusive investigation into the contents of the mystery medical package delivered to Sir Bradley Wiggins at a race in 2011, and revelations over Wiggins' use of therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) before major races, including his 2012 Tour de France win.

Cookson defended Team Sky and Wiggins after the UK Anti-Doping investigation ended without charges, saying their reputations should be "reinstated".

PA