May 3, 2007 (Berlin, Germany) – Two doctors from the German cycling team, T-Mobile, were suspended today following doping allegations reports AFP. The doctors, Lothar Heinrich and Andreas Schmid, allegedly administered EPO to Jan Ullrich and Bjarne Riis during the 1996 Tour de France. The allegations were made by former team soigneur Jef d’Hont who worked for Telekom (T-Mobile’s predecessor) from 1992 to 1996. Heinrich and Schmid run the team’s drug testing centre in Freiburg where they are under investigation by local prosecutors. Simultaneously, Heidelberg doping expert Werner Franke has made a medical complaint against them.

As reported on T-Mobile’s website (http://en.t-mobile-team.mobi/), team general manager Bob Stapleton welcomes the launch of an independent review into recent allegations detailed against doctors at the University of Freiburg and plans to closely monitor the progress of these investigations.

“We look forward to the independent review and resolution of the unproven allegations recently detailed against the University of Freiburg,” says Stapleton. “We respect both the need for independent review and the rights of the individuals involved.”

“After discussion with Doctors Heinrich and Schmid, we have mutually agreed to discontinue their personal provision of medical service during the course of these inquiries so that no further distraction or confusion is created for our athletes,” adds Stapleton. “And we hope that the independent experts can clear the allegations, so that the cooperation can be continued.”

The team will closely monitor the progress of these investigations and “develop alternatives that will provide our athletes with the best possible medical support. We are fully prepared to take action as needed based on the conclusion of diligent and fact-based evaluation.”

The commitment to a clean and fair sport remains key to the T-Mobile cycling program (declares) Stapleton. “We will continue our firm zero tolerance anti-doping policy and our independent blood and haemoglobin mass testing, which is performed by independent medical professionals and monitored by an independent medical review board, as has been the case since the inception of our best-in-class anti-doping program in September, 2006.”