Marcel Kittel and André Greipel have condemned the use of therapeutic use exemptions in cycling, with the former suggesting those who suffer from “bad asthma” should compete in the Paralympics.
Kittel, the 28-year-old Etixx-Quick-Step rider, told Süddeutsche Zeitung that those with severe cases of the respiratory condition should not compete in “elite sport”.
“When someone has bad asthma then he has nothing in elite sport to do,” Kittel said. “That’s why we introduced the Paralympics, so that the one-legged [athletes] had a chance to measure themselves against others.”
Greipel, meanwhile, has said that the leak of documents by Fancy Bears last month, showing Sir Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky had obtained permission on three occasions to use the banned corticosteroid triamcinolone, explained why the British team are not part of the MPCC (Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible).
“If you are ill then you’re not riding in any races,” Greipel said. “That’s why we’re in the MPCC. And now we know why Sky weren’t.”
Wiggins had applied for three TUEs to have injections of the triamcinolone immediately before major races. The 2012 Tour de France winner has admitted he understands why the injections would be considered unethical but he did not break any doping rules.
