Rasmussen linked to suspect Austrian laboratory

BERLIN: Disgraced Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen, excluded from the 2007 Tour de France when likely to win, was one of the cyclists who visited an Austrian laboratory presently the subject of two separate investigations, German television station ARD reported on Tuesday.

According to ARD, Rasmussen, as well as his former Rabobank team-mates, Dutchman Michael Boogerd and Russian Denis Menchov, stored blood with the laboratory.

The laboratory Humanplasma, based in Vienna, is being investigated by the Vienna prosecutor's office and by the Interior Ministry in conjunction with customs after appeals by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

WADA's former president Dick Pound had alerted the Austrian authorities on November 23 that he thought there were good reasons to believe the laboratory injected riders with their own blood.

It is also believed, according to the TV channel, that 30 top sports people are involved with the laboratory of whyich two thirds are German and include several biathletes and cross- country skiers.

Rasmussen was excluded from the Tour de France on July 25 by Rabobank while wearing the overall leader's jersey for lying about his whereabouts the previous month - he was subsequently sacked by the team.

Rabobank, for its part, refused to comment on the report.

"As we have not been informed formally about this matter, I cannot therefore say a lot," said caretaker sporting director Henri van der Aat.

"There are always a lot of rumors floating about and cycling foremost among them.

"We are always watchful of our riders' blood and everything was always in order."

Boogerd, who is now retired after a distinguished career that included winning the Amstel Gold race classic in 1999 and finishing fifth in the 1998 Tour de France, was unable to give his reaction as the 35-year-old Dutchman was in bed with a bout of flu but his wife felt free to give her opinion:

"We are surprised and it is not pleasant to be linked to a doping affair," she said.

"But then again there are always plenty of rumors circulating."

AFP

(China Daily 01/17/2008 page22)