UK Anti-Doping to investigate claim that Team Sky may have broken ‘no needles’ rule, says report
So-called 'whistleblower' claims that intravenous recovery methods could have been used by Team Sky from the end of the 2010 season

Team Sky logo on car.

A claim has surfaced that Team Sky may have broken the Union Cycliste Internationale's 'no needles' policy, by using 'intravenous (IV) recovery' methods.
A report prepared by Press Association Sport and published online by the Guardian and other outlets says that a whistleblower has sent details of a claim that Sky used needles to UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and to the House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport select committee. Both are currently investigating wider allegations of doping within sport in Britain.
According to PA Sport, the whistleblower has said that Team Sky may have used "intravenous recovery methods towards the end of the team’s difficult first season in 2010 and continued to do so despite the UCI ban".
>>> Everything you need to know about the British Cycling/Sky mystery package saga
Team Sky is already under scrutiny after details emerged of a 'mystery package' that was transported from British Cycling's headquarters in Manchester to the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2011.
Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford told the CMS select committee that the package contained anti-mucus medicine Fluimucil. Sky medic Dr Richard Freeman said that Bradley Wiggins was given the drug via nebuliser after he won the event.
In September 2016, the Fancy Bears hacking group illegally obtained therapeutic use exemption (TUE) certificates relating to Wiggins and published them online, which showed he received injections of triamcinolone prior to the 2011 and 2012 Tours de France, and the 2013 Giro d’Italia.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
From the evidence presented to the Culture, Media and Sport select committee so far and broadcast publicly, Team Sky, Bradley Wiggins and British Cycling have operated within the sport's rules.
A Team Sky spokesperson said: "It is right that any concerns are reported to and dealt with by the appropriate authorities, and we will continue to co-operate with them".
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
‘It’s a little taste of where we’re going’: Zwift’s latest update means outdoor rides will count on the virtual training platform
Zwift may be synonymous with indoor riding, but soon cycling outdoors will contribute to fitness metrics and gain ‘experience points’, as the app unveils new tracking metrics
By Amy Sedghi Published
-
Lidl-Trek, EF Education-EasyPost among first teams to seize ‘the only chance to race in the United States’
With a world-class field of competitors, organisers hope to showcase professional cycling to American spectators and reignite fan interest
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
'An unprecedented opportunity for brands to be part of the evolution' - Ineos Grenadiers sponsor hunt steps up with sales agency partnership
Sportfive have been employed to find "non-endemic global partners for the team"
By Adam Becket Published
-
'We've all got a little bit extra in us this year' - Ineos Grenadiers recapture 'fighting spirit' with aggressive Paris-Nice display
British team continue to put tumultuous 2024 behind them with momentum and a new found mentality
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'They’re racing with their hearts again' - Robbie McEwen on Ineos Grenadiers' bright start to 2025
The British squad have already won four times in 2025
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers are entertaining so far this year, but how long will it last?
The British WorldTour squad have won four times already in 2025, but more than that, they have been fun. Is this the new dawn?
By Adam Becket Published
-
Caleb Ewan says he was put in a 'bad situation' by Jayco AlUla before he joined Ineos Grenadiers
Ewan joined Ineos Grenadiers in January after spending just one year with Jayco AlUla
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'There's no bull****, that's what I've always liked' - Geraint Thomas's first BC coach Rod Ellingworth on the retiring Welshman
The 2018 Tour de France winner will step away from professional cycling at the end of the season
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'It is time to change goals' - Egan Bernal's coach confirms Ineos Grenadiers exit
'I want to thank all the cyclists I have had the opportunity to coach over the past ten years' Xabier Artetxe says in LinkedIn post
By Tom Thewlis Published