Wiggins saga reignites: Damian Collins says there is no evidence to back-up Dave Brailsford’s decongestant claims
The teams behind five times Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins have failed to provide evidence to back-up claims a mysterious package delivered to the team contained a non-banned medical substance.
Controversy surrounded Team Sky – who masterminded Wiggins' 2012 Tour de France victory – and British Cycling earlier this year after it was revealed a British Cycling coach was asked to bring over a mysterious package to the end of an Alpine road race in 2011.
Read more: Wiggins' boss coughs up details of package to MPs
After initially declining to comment on the contents of the package, team boss Dave Brailsford told the media, culture and sports select committee the package contained Fluimucil – an over the counter decongestant.
Although speculation continued as to why representatives stayed so tight-lipped given the package contained such a benign substance, the revelation appeared to have put an end to that specific line of inquiry into the practices of the four times Tour de France-winning team.
However, Damian Collins, chair of the culture, media and sport select committee, told the BBC Today programme a paper trail to corroborate the contents of the package was not available.
"It seems difficult to get precise records about what was in this package, why it was ordered – the detail you would want to know,” he said.
What we hoped we might get is a paper trail – it should be really simple… But clearly that doesn't exist.
The news comes just a day after Wiggins announced his retirement as an athlete. However, the continued speculation over exactly what was in the package threatens to overshadow Wiggins’ illustrious career.
Read more: Wiggins defended by team-mate over TUE row
British Cycling representatives said it was not possible for them to provide medical records regarding the package because the incident is subject to an ongoing investigation by UK Anti-Doping (Ukad).
"The medical records are under the control of Ukad at the moment," he said.
"The whole medical room at Manchester is under lockdown. We physically can't comment in respect of what that information is." said British Cycling president Bob Howden.