Cofidis denials after police raid
PARIS, France -- The Cofidis team have protested their innocence after a former rider was arrested in possession of illegal substances.
Police claim Pole Marek Rutkiewicz, who left Cofidis at the end of the year, and Cofidis physio Bogdan Madejak are suspected of supplying riders with drugs.
However, a raid on the Cofidis team premises at Marcq-en-Baroeul in northern France failed to find anything illegal.
Drugs officers acted after listening to Rutkiewicz's mobile phone calls from Poland. "We're investigating a network dealing in EPO and steroids," a police source said.
Cofidis team doctor Jean-Jacques Menuet, who also looks after the French athletics sprint team, was interviewed by police.
But Cofidis insist they have total confidence in their doctor and said the fact that police found nothing proved they were doing their part in the fight against drugs.
In a statement the team said: "Cofidis is convinced that the police investigations carried out on Monday proved we're doing everything possible in the fight against drugs and not the opposite.
"Unfortunately nothing can ever prevent incidents of regrettable isolated behaviour.
"Cofidis has complete confidence in doctor Jean-Jacques Menuet, with whom we share his philosophy of combating drugs, and in general manager Alain Bondue, for respecting his commitments in the fight against drugs."
Among the star names in the Cofidis squad are Australian sprinter Stuart O'Grady, British time-trial specialist David Millar and world road race champion Igor Astarloa of Spain.
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