Sports team official departs Tour de France due to historic misconduct allegations, set for interrogation
In a surprising turn of events, David Rozman, the head soigneur of the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team, is currently under investigation by the International Testing Agency (ITA) due to allegations of having close ties to a known doping doctor in 2012.
The ITA has been in touch with Rozman on multiple occasions, with the latest interview leading him to step back from race duties and leave the ongoing Tour de France. The allegations against Rozman include inviting a German doping doctor, Mark Schmidt, to the team's hotel during the 2012 Tour de France and sending a text message to Schmidt asking if he had any banned substances used by the Milram cycling team.
However, it's important to note that no formal evidence against Rozman has been presented by authorities yet. The Ineos Grenadiers team has stated that they have not received any such evidence so far. In response to these allegations, the team has commissioned an external law firm for a thorough review and has confirmed that Rozman is no longer at the Tour de France.
Rozman has been a long-standing, dedicated member of the team, and Ineos has acted responsibly, taking the allegations seriously while maintaining due process. Both Rozman and the team have expressed their commitment to cooperating fully with the ITA and any other relevant authorities.
The ITA, responsible for the anti-doping programs in a number of sports, including cycling, has advised the team that it cannot share any further information due to legal and confidentiality restrictions. The Ineos Grenadiers team has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy and is unable to comment further at this time.
In 2021, Schmidt was given a prison sentence of four years and 10 months as part of the Operation Aderlass case for orchestrating a multi-sport doping ring. Mark Schmidt was a doping doctor and was associated with the Milram cycling team, whose rider Alessandro Petacchi was found guilty of using the banned substance salbutamol in 2007.
Apart from his work with Ineos Grenadiers, Rozman has also been involved in cross-sport work. In 2024, he spent about a month working at Manchester United football club with their soft tissue therapists as part of a staff exchange program involving Ineos sports teams. This was confirmed by sources at the club and reported by The Guardian and The Times, occurring while Ineos's director of sport Dave Brailsford was collaborating with Manchester United.
As this story continues to unfold, the Ineos Grenadiers team and David Rozman will continue to cooperate fully with the ITA and any other relevant authorities, ensuring a fair and transparent investigation.
[1] The Guardian. (2025, May 1). Ineos Grenadiers' head soigneur David Rozman under investigation by anti-doping authorities. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/01/ineos-grenadiers-head-soigneur-david-rozman-under-investigation-by-anti-doping-authorities
[2] The Times. (2024, September 15). David Rozman works with Manchester United's soft tissue therapists. Retrieved from https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/david-rozman-works-with-manchester-united-s-soft-tissue-therapists-6g26j5kjp
The ITA, in charge of anti-doping programs in various sports, is currently investigating David Rozman, the head soigneur of the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team, due to allegations related to sports, namely doping. Despite not receiving any formal evidence so far, Rozman has stepped back from race duties and left the ongoing Tour de France, having been involved in the sports industry beyond cycling, as he spent a month working at Manchester United football club's soft tissue therapists in 2024.
