Ineos Grenadiers, then known as Team Sky, won the 2012 Tour de France, with Britain’s Bradley Wiggins claiming the yellow jersey, and the team went on to win six of the next seven editions of the race.
The cycling team has confirmed that Rozman was informally contacted in April 2025 by a member of ITA staff, who asked him about alleged historical communications, claiming that it then commissioned a review by an external law firm.
In a statement at the time it said: “The team has acted responsibly and with due process, taking the allegations seriously whilst acknowledging that David is a long-standing, dedicated member of the team.
“The team continues to assess the circumstances and any relevant developments, and has formally requested any relevant information from the ITA. To date the team has received no evidence from any relevant authority.
“Both David and the team will of course co-operate with the ITA and any other authority.”
Earlier in July, the Irish Independent reported that in 2012, Rozman had exchanged messages with convicted German doping doctor Mark Schmidt.
A documentary by German TV company ARD also linked Ineos to Schmidt but did not name the staff member involved.
In 2021, Schmidt was sentenced to four years and 10 months in jail after being convicted of administering illegal blood transfusions to athletes within cycling and a number of other sports as part of Operation Aderlass.
When contacted by BBC Sport, the ITA said its investigations are “conducted confidentially” and “outcomes may only be shared if and when it yields the pursuit of one or more anti-doping rule violations.”
In June, Ineos director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford scaled back his involvement with Manchester United, having previously played a key role in football operations.
Brailsford stepped down as team principal of Ineos Grenadiers after Ratcliffe acquired his stake in United but has returned to a key role at the cycling team and was present at this year’s Tour de France.
The 61-year-old oversaw a sustained period of success at British Cycling and Team Sky and became synonymous with the ‘marginal gains’ theory.
However, his career has involved several controversies.
Dr Richard Freeman – the former chief medic at both British Cycling and Team Sky – was banned from all sport for four years for violating anti-doping rules in August 2023.
In 2018, Brailsford appeared before a parliamentary committee to answer questions on the contents of a mystery “jiffy bag” Freeman had instructed be delivered to Wiggins before a 2011 race, amid an allegation it contained the banned anti-inflammatory drug triamcinolone.
This followed the revelation Wiggins received therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) for triamcinolone to treat asthma and allergies shortly before three major races.
Freeman and Brailsford maintained the bag contained legal flu medication, and ultimately a parliamentary committee said it was unable to determine what was inside the jiffy bag.
In a final report in 2018, the MPs accused Team Sky of “crossing an ethical line” in its use of TUEs more broadly.
Brailsford, British Cycling, Team Sky and Ineos have always denied any wrongdoing.
