Team Sky’s slapdashery stuffs more mysteries in metaphorical Jiffy bag | Marina Hyde


It’s all very well eliminating every speck of dust, but eliminating medical records is less easy to get behind – people will wonder which was the more significant

Time for another shot of Team Sky, whose functionaries seemingly will not rest until no human can utter the phrase “marginal gains” without deploying sarcastic air quotes. Many will have found themselves at this point some time ago.

The relentless curiosity always said to have underpinned the culture at Team Sky and British Cycling is revealed as more selective by the week. Each new revelation of slapdashery is harder and harder to square with the old fables about painting the floors white and getting a surgeon to speak to riders about how to wash their hands and so on. It’s all very well eliminating every speck of dust, but eliminating medical records is less easy to get behind. People are going to wonder which elimination was the more significant in all those victories. And, indeed, which washing of hands.

Related: ‘Mystery package’ doctor admits Team Sky had no medicines policy

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