Brussels - The president of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge on Sunday came out in support of cyclists Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso.
In an interview on Sunday with the Belgian newspaper Het Laatse Nieuws Rogge said that the two cyclists, who are suspected of having been doped, had not yet been found guilty.
'The question whether they are guilty or not has not yet been answered. Therefore Ullrich, Basso and the others are free to ride where they want to.
'I know it might not be very nice to have them in the peloton, but it is necessary. I believe very strongly in the principle that one is innocent until proven guilty. ProTour teams need to understand that. It is not enough just to think that a cyclist is guilty of doping.'
Rogge said he believes that all top athletes should provide a DNA sample in the fight against doping. 'Today the cyclists give urine and blood, tomorrow a DNA sample will also be acceptable. That is less painful than giving a blood sample and the DNA sample can be kept under lock and key - where is the problem?'
Rogge said he supported the tapping of phones and property searches in the fight against doping. 'We need to bring the next Fuentes affair into the open.'
Earlier this year Spanish police found blood samples said to belong to Ullrich and Basso when they searched the property of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.
Both cyclists have denied it is their blood, but have refused to provide a DNA sample which would clear the matter once and for all.
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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