BRUSSELS — The prosecutor of the Belgian cycling federation says Lance Armstrong’s former team leader, Johan Bruyneel, will not appear at today’s hearing to discuss his role in the doping scandal.
Cycling federation prosecutor Jaak Fransen said yesterday it still was too early to accuse Bruyneel of not cooperating with the investigation. Fransen will consider whether to pursue the case without Bruyneel’s attendance.
Meanwhile, the Dutch cycling union suspended former German rider Grischa Niermann for six months after he admitted using EPO from 2000-2003 while racing for the Rabobank professional team. Niermann became a coach employed by the Dutch union when Rabobank officially halted its sponsorship of men’s pro cycling on Jan. 1.
The 37-year-old Niermann said he will divulge further details of his EPO use to anti-doping authorities and a commission set up by the country’s cycling authorities to investigate doping.