Retired cyclist and reformed cheat David Millar has launched a scathing attack on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), claiming they are not doing enough to combat doping in sport and accusing them of “living in an ivory tower” here today.
Millar was banned for two years in 2004 after police found empty phials of Eprex, a brand of the blood-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO), and two used syringes at his apartment in Biarritz.
Millar was the guest speaker at the Bermuda Bicycle Association's ( BBA) Award's Night back in 2007.
Following his suspension, he returned to win World Championships silver medal and Commonwealth Games gold in 2010 before retiring in 2014.
The Scot has since become an advocate for anti-doping in sport and was the first competitor to have served a drugs ban to become part of the Athletes' Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The IOC announced in January that it was appealing for researchers to apply for support and funding of athlete-centered projects on anti-doping and that they had provided $10 million to fund research pertaining to anti-doping for the protection of athletes.
“They are so far removed from what’s going on and are so powerful - they should be using their power in a different way rather than worrying about the next city they are going to host the Games and how much money they are going to get in from sponsors and TV rights,” the 39-year-old told the Tackling Doping in Sport Conference here.
“They should be cutting that and sharing that towards helping the athletes.
“They need to help clean athletes more to prevent the clean athletes from becoming dopers because that is their moral responsibility.
“The amount of money that is involved in the IOC and the hosting of the Games and the money they demand from sponsors and the amount of money that is put in to global anti-doping doesn’t add up.
“Then they go on their high and mighty about Olympic bans and zero tolerance but what are you guys actually doing to stop this happening apart from a couple of Victorian statements about amateurism?
“I just think because they control everything - they do seem like they are in an ivory tower and act like princes.”
