There has been a slightly bemused reaction to the way in which multiple Olympic champion and 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins has decided to address questions regarding his use of Therapeutic Use Exemption certificates (TUEs) throughout the course of his cycling career.
Wiggins has been thrown into the spotlight after the Russian hacker group 'Fancy Bears' leaked medical certificates that contradict claims he made in a 2012 autobiography that he had never received an injection throughout the course of his career. Furthermore the timing of Wiggins' use of the substance in question, triamcinolone (a corticosteroid), has raised eyebrows given that the TUEs are each dated just days before two Tours de France and a Giro d'Italia.
SEE ALSO: Russian Leaks Contradict Claim Bradley Wiggins Made In His Autobiography
In the days since the publication of the documents, figures within the sport including former UCI President Pat McQuaid and cyclist David Millar have been discussing past trends of riders using TUEs in order to be able to use substances that will enhance performance.
Wiggins himself has remained quiet since the documents were released, communicating his innocence via a spokesperson last week. But journalists were hoping to hear from the man himself soon, especially as Wiggins is an outspoken individual who has always passionately denounced drug cheats.
However the Londoner has chosen the slightly unusual avenue of 'The Andrew Marr Show', a popular Sunday morning politics and current affairs programme aired on the BBC, through which to clear his name. What makes this slightly more unexpected is that Wiggins was apparently meant to address sports journalists in the wake of the allegations.
@DickinsonTimes I'd heard @danroan was to interview him. This is........weird, to be honest.
— Scott O'Raw (@velocast) September 23, 2016
The editor of 'The Andrew Marr Show', Rob Burley, seems to have spent a good deal of his Friday afternoon attempting to downplay scepticism from cycling fans - and Dickinson - about the extent of Marr's sporting knowledge and ability to question Wiggins in detail about the TUEs.
@RobBurl @OfficialWIGGINS @AndrewMarr9 pity Marr doesn'treally know enough about it. Looks like it will be pr piece only.
— talius (@talius_brute) September 23, 2016
Not that you're one to prejudge. . . https://t.co/ehlbvw9jvR
— Rob Burley (@RobBurl) September 23, 2016
@chrisoconnor06 @RobBurl @OfficialWIGGINS @AndrewMarr9 probably the latter... it'll be a hugely sanitised time-filler, I reckon.
— IronPhil (@PICollard) September 23, 2016
Why not try judging things AFTER you have seen them rather than before? https://t.co/2EellMssB9
— Rob Burley (@RobBurl) September 23, 2016
Some have compared Wiggins' appearance on Marr's show to Lance Armstrong's decision to go on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' to confess his doping history. It should be pointed out, however, that Marr is known for his tough and thorough questioning (perhaps unlike Oprah). It is also important to acknowledge that there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Wiggins and that the use of TUEs is within the rules of his sport.
The extent to which he is quizzed on that use, however, could determine how much credibility is retained regarding the achievements of Wiggins and, by extension, Team Sky.
