Michael Rogers ready to forget Cycling Australia ‘betrayal’ and focus on Rio Olympics
VETERAN Michael Rogers says he felt “betrayed” by former Cycling Australia chief executive Adrian Anderson whose comments at the time of his positive drugs test in 2013 are the reason he has not raced for Australia since.
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VETERAN Michael Rogers says he felt “betrayed” by former Cycling Australia chief executive Adrian Anderson whose comments at the time of his positive drugs test in 2013 are the reason he has not raced for Australia since.
In April, 2014, Rogers was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to his positive test for clenbuterol at the Japan Cup in October, 2013, after the UCI acknowledged there was a significant probability he had eaten contaminated meat while racing in China.
But Rogers had to serve a provisional ban from the sport while his case was investigated and in December, 2013, then CA boss Anderson released a statement saying it would support the maximum sanctions under the WADA code if Rogers was found guilty of doping.
“The fact that the drug testing process continues to uncover positive tests should be a lesson to all cyclists that if they chose to dope they can expect to be caught,” Anderson said in the statement.
Speaking from a training camp with Tinkoff-Saxo in Croatia this week, Rogers told website Cyclingnews.com that only now was he recovering from Anderson’s comments and he wanted to end his exile from the national team by attempting to earn selection for the Rio Olympics.
“I was very, very surprised by the statement of the CEO of Cycling Australia Adrian Anderson,” Rogers told Cyclingnews.
“Considering I wasn’t a member of Cycling Australia since 2005.
“They had no documentation from the UCI, no documentation from WADA, they knew nothing other than what was in the press at the time so such statements from a leader of Cycling Australia were in my opinion uncalled for.”
Asked whether that was why he had not represented Australia at a major games or world championships since, Rogers said “fundamentally, yes”.
“I reached out once my name was cleared and the truth prevailed, I reached out to Adrian Anderson from Cycling Australia and asked for his help to help me rebuild a place in cycling,” Rogers said.
“I was damaged as a person, I certainly felt betrayed by his comments, it’s only now that I’m starting to move forward from his comments.”
Anderson — who previously worked as the AFL’s football operations manager — left CA in early 2014 and that September former rowing champion Nick Green was appointed chief executive.
“What I would like to say is the people within Cycling Australia — the Kevin Tabottas, Paul Brosnans, Bradley McGees, they’re fantastic people and really understand cycling and Adrian Anderson I just don’t think he had an understanding for cycling,” Rogers said in the interview.
Rogers, 35, from Canberra, is a three-time world champion in the time trial who has won the Tour Down Under, Tour of California and stages of the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, and is now a key lieutenant for Spanish team leader Alberto Contador.
He confirmed he would ride the time trial and road race at the national championships in Ballarat in January in what he hopes will lead to selection for Australia’s Olympic team in Rio.
“It’s a course that’s very hard, I have to gain selection first so I’ll go about that and ride the national time trial championships and the road race (in Ballarat),” Rogers said.
“But I’m the first one to say the best riders have to go. We have some very competitive riders, Rohan Dennis is performing very well in time trials, Richie is climbing very well and not to mention Michael Matthews and Simon Gerrans.
“I don’t have a clear understanding right now of how many spots will be available but I’ll try, absolutely.”
reece.homfray@news.com.au
Originally published as Michael Rogers ready to forget Cycling Australia ‘betrayal’ and focus on Rio Olympics
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