New date set for Dr Richard Freeman’s medical tribunal over mystery testosterone delivery
The hearing earlier this year was adjourned but the public were not told why
A new date has been set for the medical tribunal of Dr Richard Freeman, which will investigate a mystery testosterone delivery to British Cycling headquarters.
Dr Freeman, a former British Cycling and Team Sky doctor, is accused of ordering testosterone with the intention of administering it to an athlete to dope.
Earlier this year Dr Freeman, who denies all the allegations against him, was due to face a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) misconduct hearing, but the proceedings never got started as legal arguments were heard behind closed doors.
In March, the MPTS announced that the case would be adjourned to be considered by a new tribunal at a later date.
A decision was made during a private session, but the details of that announcement were not made public.
The service has now confirmed that the new tribunal will convene from October 28 until December 20.
According to the pre-hearing information, on May 16, 2011 Dr Freeman allegedly ordered 30 sachets of Testogel from Fit4Sport Limited to the Manchester Velodrome, British Cycling’s headquarters.
Dr Freeman is also accused of making untrue statements when he denied making the order and suggested the order had been made by mistake.
He is then alleged to have contacted Fit4Sport Limited in October 2011, requesting written confirmation that the order have been sent in error, returned and would be destroyed by the company, knowing this was not true.
Dr Freemen then showed the email to others, knowing the contents were untrue, according to the allegations.
The tribunal was also due hear evidence around allegations that Dr Freeman made untrue statements to the UK Anti-Doping organisation in an interview in February 2017, when he said that the Testogel had been ordered for a non-athlete member of staff and had been returned to Fit4Sport Limited.
It is further alleged that Dr Freeman’s motive for ordering the Testogel was to administer it to an athlete to improve their athletic performance.
The tribunal would also inquire into the allegation that, during his time as team doctor for athletes at British Cycling and Team Sky, Dr Freeman inappropriately provided medical treatment that did not constitute first aid to non-athlete members of staff.
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He also allegedly failed to inform three patients’ GPs of medication prescribed and reasons for prescribing.
Dr Freeman is also accused of failing to keep an adequate record management system, that his management of prescription-only medication was inappropriate and that he failed to ensure records on a laptop, which was stolen from him in August 2014, could be retrieved.
The MPTS misconduct tribunal will assess Dr Freeman’s fitness to practice medicine after an investigation by the General Medical Council, which will bring the case against him at the hearing.