This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

Shane Sutton’s evidence at the hearing of former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman is admissible, a tribunal has ruled.

Sutton, the former head coach at the two organisations, stormed out of the hearing at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester on 12 November after being angered by the questioning from Dr Freeman’s QC Mary O’Rourke.

Shane Sutton storms out of medical tribunal after denying doping and lying Read more

O’Rourke had argued that Sutton’s evidence should be disregarded because he did not complete it but, after deliberating for a week, the tribunal ruled it is admissible in a blow to Freeman’s case.

O’Rourke said: “I am surprised by your decision on Mr Sutton’s evidence. It’s not what I anticipated.”

The tribunal panel also decided that a redacted transcript of an interview Dr Freeman did with BBC sports editor Dan Roan in July 2018 can be admitted. The General Medical Council’s QC, Simon Jackson, had called for it to be admitted as evidence of a “previous inconsistent statement” by Dr Freeman.

The hearing is to determine Dr Freeman’s fitness to practise medicine. He has already admitted 18 charges but denies four others relating to the ordering of testosterone to British Cycling headquarters in 2011.