GERMANY: CYCLING - Deutsche Telekom to continue T-Mobile cycle team sponsorship

Spokesman Christian Frommert told a news conference in Saarbruecken, Germany on Thursday (August 9, 2007) the Deutsche Telekom management board had decided on Tuesday evening (August 7) it would honour a contract with the T-Mobile team which runs until the end of 2010. "Pulling out in our view would be the wrong signal. It would torpedo the current efforts of the sport overall: the fight against doping, against criminal networks and for a clean and fair sport," Frommert said, adding "this not only takes an effort but also money." Deutsche Telekom has come under increasing pressure to reconsider its sponsorship of T-Mobile amid concern a series of doping scandals could tarnish the company's image. Before this year's Tour de France race there were a number of revelations about past Telekom team members, with Erik Zabel and Rolf Aldag admitting to involvement in doping. Former team member Jan Ullrich retired while denying any involvement. The T-Mobile team recruited a variety of young riders for the 2007 Tour de France, tested them comprehensively for drug use and blood doping, and promoted itself as a team devoted to riding "100 percent clean." This year's Tour de France was bedevilled with doping offences with the Astana and Cofidis teams withdrawing after positive test results. Rabobank rider Michael Rasmussen was fired from the team while leading the race. Iban Mayo, leader of the Saunier Duval team, gave one positive sample and is awaiting the result of his second. Then T-Mobile itself was hit by a doping scandal. German rider Patrik Sinkewitz was fired after he tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone. The result of a test in June was announced during the Tour. Sinkewitz admitted that he had used a gel containing the male sex hormone to try to boost his performance. T-Mobile team boss Bob Stapleton welcomed the sponsorship announcement on Thursday. "This is a very interesting time for the sport right now," Stapleton said. "It is undeniable, the need for change. Real change in this sport is really only possible with partners like T-Mobile; its long history in the sport." T-Mobile said on Thursday it had agreed with its riders and management that they would each contribute a portion of their salary towards a fund to be worth 1 million euros ($1.4 million) to help in the fight against doping. Testing rules would be tightened and the team would cooperate with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Germany's national agency, NADA, it added.

ITN Source | August 10, 2007

Tags:. .partners. .jan. .blood. .agreed. .towards