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| Premier League players, cyclists and dancers 'doped' by British doctor | Premier League players, cyclists and dancers 'doped' by British doctor |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A private doctor has claimed he gave performance-enhancing drugs to Premier League footballers, Strictly Come Dancing stars and scores of other sports stars. | A private doctor has claimed he gave performance-enhancing drugs to Premier League footballers, Strictly Come Dancing stars and scores of other sports stars. |
| Dr Mark Bonar was secretly filmed by The Sunday Times last year as he prescribed the banned substance erythropoietin (EPO), which increases the production of red blood cells, to an athlete. | Dr Mark Bonar was secretly filmed by The Sunday Times last year as he prescribed the banned substance erythropoietin (EPO), which increases the production of red blood cells, to an athlete. |
| During a number of appointments, Dr Bonar claimed that he had treated more than 150 British and foreign sportspeople, allegedly including footballers from Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City and Birmingham City. | During a number of appointments, Dr Bonar claimed that he had treated more than 150 British and foreign sportspeople, allegedly including footballers from Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City and Birmingham City. |
| Other clients were said to have included an England international cricketer, British cyclists, a British boxer, tennis players and martial arts fighters. He even claimed to have treated two professional dancers who have appeared on the BBC’s hit show Strictly Come Dancing. | Other clients were said to have included an England international cricketer, British cyclists, a British boxer, tennis players and martial arts fighters. He even claimed to have treated two professional dancers who have appeared on the BBC’s hit show Strictly Come Dancing. |
| He alleged he had prescribed drugs including steroids and human growth hormone in addition to EPO. | He alleged he had prescribed drugs including steroids and human growth hormone in addition to EPO. |
| Dr Bonar, 38, who said he had “never met a clean athlete”, warned the sportsman: “Some of these treatments I use are banned on a professional circuit. So, you have to be mindful of that. Having said that — I have worked with lots of professional athletes who do use these treatments.” | Dr Bonar, 38, who said he had “never met a clean athlete”, warned the sportsman: “Some of these treatments I use are banned on a professional circuit. So, you have to be mindful of that. Having said that — I have worked with lots of professional athletes who do use these treatments.” |
| He added: “I mean the truth of the matter is drugs are in sport. What I do is I prescribe responsibly and I try to keep my patients the optimum level of normal. | He added: “I mean the truth of the matter is drugs are in sport. What I do is I prescribe responsibly and I try to keep my patients the optimum level of normal. |
| “What we don’t want to be doing is kind of doping you up with loads of stuff and all your stuff goes off the scale and then you’re going to end up into trouble.” | “What we don’t want to be doing is kind of doping you up with loads of stuff and all your stuff goes off the scale and then you’re going to end up into trouble.” |
| However, when confronted by The Sunday Times, Dr Bonar denied he had given drugs to improve the performance of athletes, which would be a breach of the General Medical Council’s rules, insisting that he was simply treating a medical condition. | However, when confronted by The Sunday Times, Dr Bonar denied he had given drugs to improve the performance of athletes, which would be a breach of the General Medical Council’s rules, insisting that he was simply treating a medical condition. |
| “The fact that some of my patients happen to be professional athletes is irrelevant. If they have proven deficiencies on blood work and are symptomatic, I will treat them,” he said. “They are … fully aware of the risks of using these medicines in professional sport and it is their responsibility to comply with anti-doping regulations.” | “The fact that some of my patients happen to be professional athletes is irrelevant. If they have proven deficiencies on blood work and are symptomatic, I will treat them,” he said. “They are … fully aware of the risks of using these medicines in professional sport and it is their responsibility to comply with anti-doping regulations.” |
| It is not known whether the claims made by Dr Bonar, who works for the Omniya health and beauty “mediclinic” in London, about doping Premiership footballers and others during the secret filming are true. | It is not known whether the claims made by Dr Bonar, who works for the Omniya health and beauty “mediclinic” in London, about doping Premiership footballers and others during the secret filming are true. |
| However UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), the state-funded watchdog charged with ensuring sport in Britain is fair, said the doctor had been accused of doping by a sportsperson in 2014. The agency admitted it had failed to take the allegations against Dr Bonar further. | However UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), the state-funded watchdog charged with ensuring sport in Britain is fair, said the doctor had been accused of doping by a sportsperson in 2014. The agency admitted it had failed to take the allegations against Dr Bonar further. |
| That prompted Culture, Media and Sport Secretary John Whittingdale to call for an urgent independent investigation into UKAD to discover “what action was taken when these allegations were first received and what more needs to be done to ensure that British sport remains clean”. | That prompted Culture, Media and Sport Secretary John Whittingdale to call for an urgent independent investigation into UKAD to discover “what action was taken when these allegations were first received and what more needs to be done to ensure that British sport remains clean”. |
| “Sports fans are entitled to be sure that what they are watching is true and fair with all athletes competing on a level playing field,” he said. | “Sports fans are entitled to be sure that what they are watching is true and fair with all athletes competing on a level playing field,” he said. |
| “There is no room for complacency in the fight against doping and the Government is already looking at whether existing legislation in this area goes far enough. | “There is no room for complacency in the fight against doping and the Government is already looking at whether existing legislation in this area goes far enough. |
| “If it becomes clear that stronger criminal sanctions are needed then we will not hesitate to act.” | “If it becomes clear that stronger criminal sanctions are needed then we will not hesitate to act.” |
| In a lengthy response, UKAD said: “Investigative journalism has once again shown that it has the ability to unearth information that authorities like UKAD do not have the jurisdiction or resources to pursue.” | In a lengthy response, UKAD said: “Investigative journalism has once again shown that it has the ability to unearth information that authorities like UKAD do not have the jurisdiction or resources to pursue.” |
| UKAD said the sportsperson had given it more than 100 names, including 69 from the sports world, “on the basis that he hoped to reduce his sanction by providing substantial assistance”. | UKAD said the sportsperson had given it more than 100 names, including 69 from the sports world, “on the basis that he hoped to reduce his sanction by providing substantial assistance”. |
| “One of those names was that of Dr Bonar and the Wellness Clinic – this was the first and only time that this doctor’s name has been brought to UKAD’s attention,” the agency said. “The sportsperson told UKAD that he had been prescribed testosterone and EPO by Dr Bonar.” | “One of those names was that of Dr Bonar and the Wellness Clinic – this was the first and only time that this doctor’s name has been brought to UKAD’s attention,” the agency said. “The sportsperson told UKAD that he had been prescribed testosterone and EPO by Dr Bonar.” |
| “During two of those interviews, the sportsperson alleged that Dr Bonar was providing performance-enhancing substances to an unspecified boxer.” | “During two of those interviews, the sportsperson alleged that Dr Bonar was providing performance-enhancing substances to an unspecified boxer.” |
| UKAD eventually decided that there was “nothing to indicate that Dr Bonar was governed by a sport and UKAD had no other intelligence to corroborate the sportsman’s allegations”, the agency’s chief executive, Nicole Sapstead, said. | UKAD eventually decided that there was “nothing to indicate that Dr Bonar was governed by a sport and UKAD had no other intelligence to corroborate the sportsman’s allegations”, the agency’s chief executive, Nicole Sapstead, said. |
| “As a result, UKAD recommended to the sportsperson that more information was needed and as Dr Bonar fell outside of UKAD’s jurisdiction, that information could be passed, if appropriate, to the General Medical Council, which does have the powers to investigate possible medical malpractice and pursue if necessary,” she added. | “As a result, UKAD recommended to the sportsperson that more information was needed and as Dr Bonar fell outside of UKAD’s jurisdiction, that information could be passed, if appropriate, to the General Medical Council, which does have the powers to investigate possible medical malpractice and pursue if necessary,” she added. |
| However Toni Minichiello, who coaches Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill and has seen the film of Dr Bonar, called for Ms Sapstead to resign. | However Toni Minichiello, who coaches Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill and has seen the film of Dr Bonar, called for Ms Sapstead to resign. |
| “Her clear error of judgment in failing to ensure Ukad properly investigated Bonar makes her position untenable because she has failed in her fundamental duty to protect clean athletes,” he said. | “Her clear error of judgment in failing to ensure Ukad properly investigated Bonar makes her position untenable because she has failed in her fundamental duty to protect clean athletes,” he said. |
| “This case shows that British sport has a bigger doping problem than any of us imagined.” | “This case shows that British sport has a bigger doping problem than any of us imagined.” |
| The Independent contacted a member of Omniya's social media team, who said they would pass on a request for speak to a spokesperson for the company. Dr Bonar, who has more than 25,000 followers on Twitter, did not immediately respond when asked to comment. | The Independent contacted a member of Omniya's social media team, who said they would pass on a request for speak to a spokesperson for the company. Dr Bonar, who has more than 25,000 followers on Twitter, did not immediately respond when asked to comment. |
| The only British footballer currently banned by UKAD is Jordan McMillan, who used to play for Partick Thistle but was banned for taking cocaine. | The only British footballer currently banned by UKAD is Jordan McMillan, who used to play for Partick Thistle but was banned for taking cocaine. |
| Chelsea said that the club had "never used the services of Dr Bonar and has no knowledge or record of any of our players having been treated by him or using his services". “We take the issue of performance enhancing drugs in sport extremely seriously and comply fully with all anti-doping rules and regulations. Chelsea FC players are regularly and rigorously tested by the relevant authorities," it added. | Chelsea said that the club had "never used the services of Dr Bonar and has no knowledge or record of any of our players having been treated by him or using his services". “We take the issue of performance enhancing drugs in sport extremely seriously and comply fully with all anti-doping rules and regulations. Chelsea FC players are regularly and rigorously tested by the relevant authorities," it added. |
| Arsenal said it was "extremely disappointed by the publication of these false claims which are without foundation. The Sunday Times knows that these allegations are baseless but has preferred to publish regardless". “The club takes its responsibilities in this area very seriously and our players are well aware of what is expected," it added. "We strictly adhere to all guidelines set by the World Anti-Doping Agency and our first team players participate in approximately 50 random drugs tests during each football season. None of our players has ever failed such a test." | Arsenal said it was "extremely disappointed by the publication of these false claims which are without foundation. The Sunday Times knows that these allegations are baseless but has preferred to publish regardless". “The club takes its responsibilities in this area very seriously and our players are well aware of what is expected," it added. "We strictly adhere to all guidelines set by the World Anti-Doping Agency and our first team players participate in approximately 50 random drugs tests during each football season. None of our players has ever failed such a test." |
| Leicester City said its players were banned from taking any drugs without permission from the club and that the use of banned substances could result in the player being sacked. | |
| Birmingham City said it had "not used the services of Mark Bonar and has no knowledge or record of any of our players, past or present, doing so". "These claims are baseless and there is no independent evidence to back them up," the club added. | |
| The BBC said it had not been given any details of the allegations against the Strictly dancers, such as who they were or when they appeared on the show. "In the absence of any evidence or further information being presented to us, we will not be commenting," a BBC spokeswoman said. | The BBC said it had not been given any details of the allegations against the Strictly dancers, such as who they were or when they appeared on the show. "In the absence of any evidence or further information being presented to us, we will not be commenting," a BBC spokeswoman said. |