Ex-British Cycling and Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman loses appeal against medical register ban

Richard Freeman, the former British Cycling and Team Sky doctor who was struck off the medical register in 2021 after a tribunal ruled his ability to practise medicine had been impaired by misconduct, has lost his appeal at the High Court.

Mr Justice Fordham said there was "nothing within the tribunal's approach, reasoning or conclusions" that was "wrong" and "still less any respect" that would undermine the decision.

Freeman was ordered to pay the General Medical Council's (GMC) costs of £23,000 after unsuccessfully appealing his removal from the register having been found to have ordered banned testosterone in 2011 "knowing or believing" it was to help dope an unnamed rider.

During the lengthy tribunal Freeman had denied the central charge about the purpose of the Testogel order, but admitted 18 of the 22 charges against him, ultimately saying he disagreed "vehemently" with the ruling and lodging an appeal.

> Freeman fallout continues as Wiggins doubts a rider would have used Testogel for doping

That appeal, however, was today rejected, a High Court judgement his legal team said they were "disappointed by".

The tribunal concluded in March 2021 that "it was clear that" the inference could properly be drawn that "when Dr Freeman placed the order and obtained the Testogel, he knew or believed it was to be administered to an athlete to improve their athletic performance".

Neil Dalton, the chair of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service Hearing, said that "Freeman's behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with continued registration" and determined that "erasure is the only sufficient sanction which would protect patients, maintain public confidence in the profession and send a clear message to Freeman, the profession and the public."

Once the tribunal was concluded, UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) charged Freeman with two violations, namely possession of prohibited substances and tampering or attempted tampering with any part of doping control.

The case was paused during Freeman's High Court appeal, but proceedings may now continue following today's conclusion.