Medicines and electronics seized following Bahrain Victorious raids, reports state
The team said in a statement, on Thursday, that 'no items were seized'
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Medicines and electronics were seized following raids on Bahrain Victorious' hotel rooms, and the homes of staff members and riders, according to reports.
Danish Police searched the team hotel at 5.30am on Thursday morning, a day ahead of the Tour de France Grand Depart, on behalf of French prosecutors.
The team said in a statement on Thursday morning that "the search was completed within two hours" and that "no items were seized from the team."
However, a statement from the public prosecutor's office in Marseille - published by AFP and repeated at France.24 (opens in new tab)- says that electronics and medicines had been seized.
Referring to raids carried out across Europe between June 27 and June 30, the statement reads: "The operation, coordinated by Eurojust with the help of Europol, allowed the judicial and police authorities of those countries to carry out several searches at the homes of the manager, three riders, the osteopath, and a doctor of the professional cycling team Bahrain Victorious, as well as at the headquarters of WINNING SRL, the team's holding company.
"Electronic material (phones, computers, hard drives) and medicines - of which the nature and origin remain undetermined, or which require a prescription - have been seized."
The prosecutor's office statement added: "The items seized will be subject to analysis and further investigation."
The team did hold its press conference, ahead of Friday's opening stage of the Tour de France, on Thursday. However, the event lasted for eight minutes and was opened with a short statement and the confirmation that no further questions around the raids would be answered.
When asked about the effect of the 5.30am wake up call, performance director Vladimir Miholjević stated: "As we said we will only be taking racing questions."
Cycling Weekly has asked the team for a further comment on the raids, following the reports that items were seized. We will update this story should a comment be provided.
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Michelle Arthurs-Brennan is a traditional journalist by trade, having begun her career working for a local newspaper, where highlights included interviewing a very irate Freddie Star (and an even more irate theatre owner), as well as 'the one about the stolen chickens'.
Previous to joining the Cycling Weekly team, Michelle was Editor at Total Women's Cycling. She joined CW as an 'SEO Analyst', but couldn't keep her nose out of journalism and in the spreadsheets, eventually taking on the role of Tech Editor before her latest appointment as Digital Editor.
Michelle is a road racer who also enjoys track riding and the occasional time trial, though dabbles in off-road riding too (either on a mountain bike, or a 'gravel bike'). She is passionate about supporting grassroots women's racing and founded the women's road race team 1904rt.
Michelle is on maternity leave from July 8 2022, until April 2023.
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