Sir Bradley Wiggins refusing to answer questions about his mystery medical package this morning. VIDEO pic.twitter.com/fO1gkH18ft
— Dan Roan (@danroan) March 2, 2017
The day after the chief executive of UK Anti-Doping confirmed that there was “no paper trail” to track the contents of the package delivered to Team Sky and Bradley Wiggins at the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné, Wiggins faced questions from journalists waiting outside his house in Lancashire.
Videos and photos of the exchange were shared on Twitter by BBC Sport editor Dan Roan and BBC Sports News Correspondent Richard Conway, and showed Wiggins coming out of his front door to tell the journalists that they were on private property and threatening to call the police.
>>> MPs will not question Bradley Wiggins over medical package and TUEs
According to BBC editorial guidelines, doorstepping is a “last resort” needing approval of a senior editorial figure, with approval only given if there is evidence of “significant wrongdoing” and the subject of the doorstepping has failed to respond to multiple requests for interview.
Reaction to the the journalists’ approach was mixed on Twitter, with a significant number of users criticising the doorstepping.
As much as I think there are Qs he should have answered by now I don't think press should doorstep Wiggins (or anyone else) like this. https://t.co/7GO6kJDJbh
— James Mullarkey (@jamesmullarkey) March 2, 2017
@danroan @mrjakehumphrey disgusting journalism. Should be ashamed.
— ⚒BMWHU⚒ (@irons1978) March 2, 2017
@danroan Awful. How can you be part of sharing that kind of journalism. It’s his house! Very disappointed.
— Sam Radford (@samradford) March 2, 2017
@danroan harassing the man outside his house isn't the best way to go about it though is it?
— Michael Stanton (@MikeStanton10) March 2, 2017
@danroan the worst type of "journalism". The truth will come out eventually but not like this…
— Ricki Jones (@rickijones) March 2, 2017
However Conway defended the approach, saying that legitimate questions needed to be asked, which was echoed by former BBC presenter Jake Humphrey who also retweeted Roan’s video.
@quiddog1 legitimate questions that haven't been answered concerning public figure and organisation receiving large amounts of public funds.
— Richard Conway (@richard_conway) March 2, 2017
@alexlynnracing @danroan nothing. The surprising thing is that these questions are needing to be asked…
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) March 2, 2017
