Does Chris Froome have asthma?
If so, when was it originally diagnosed?
How often does he need to take medication to keep his asthma under control?
How much did he take on the day of the 2000ng/ml salbutamol reading (before adjustment for dehydration)?
Did Chris Froome know about the threshold for salbutamol?
What reasons have Team Sky given for the excess salbutamol?
These are all questions that have been asked repeatedly since Froome was first seen using an inhaler at the Criterium du Dauphine in 2014. So, I have decided to look back through the archives to find out as much as I can about Chris Froome’s chequered history with the respiratory condition. The relevant pieces from news articles are divided into the year they were published, for clarity, and important segments are underlined.
2011- 2013:
There are no Google, Yahoo (or even Bing) results for “Chris Froome asthma” or “Chris Froome inhaler” or “Froome asthma” or “Froome inhaler” or “Froome Ventolin.” Despite his rise into the big leagues in 2011, Froome made no mention of his asthma, nor was he seen using an inhaler, despite this being a racing period during which he finished second both the 2011 Vuelta a España and the 2012 Tour de France and won the 2013 Tour de France.
2014:
June 5, 2014: Chris Froome’s autobiography is released (ghostwritten by David Walsh). The book details his childhood in Kenya, his early years as a pro, his rise to prominence in 2011 and his Tour de France victory in 2013. Despite being a tale about all the obstacles he has overcome in order to achieve success as a pro rider, the book contains no mention of asthma.
June 9, 2014: Five days after the publication of his ghost written autobiography, Chris Froome is seen using an inhaler while winning the Col de Beau stage of the Criterium du Dauphine
June 9, 2014: “No TUE required, he has asthma, hence the coughing after exertion #duh #trolls” (Michelle Cound tweet)
June 10, 2014: “Chris Froome has used an inhaler for his asthma since he was a teenager, said Team Sky in response to a Twitter storm that brewed overnight. (www.cyclingweekly.com)
June 10, 2014: “I do have exercise induced asthma.” Froome said after stage three. “I don’t use [the inhaler] every time I race, normally only when I have a big effort coming up. It’s a bit of a surprise everyone is talking about it.” (http://www.cyclingweekly.com)
2015
Dr Steve Peters, “We agreed as a team that if a rider, suffering from asthma, got into trouble with pollen we would pull him out of the race rather than apply for a therapeutic use exemption on his behalf.” (‘Inside Team Sky’ by David Walsh)
July 19, 2015: Froome had been struggling with a chest infection and applied for the TUE when his doctor noticed him coughing after the opening stage. No rules were broken but many observers were alarmed. The abuse of glucocortisteroids has been rampant in the sport for years and Sky had earned plaudits for their policy of withdrawing sick riders from competition, rather than apply for the TUE’s. (www.independent.ie)
July 26, 2015: All of these arguments have been countered by Froome and Team Sky… the asthma was not mentioned because Froome did not want to alert his rivals to a perceived weakness, the TUE was legal and the only one he has ever taken in competition. (www.telegraph.co.uk)
2016
September 15, 2016: That Froome had permission to use prednisolone for the 2013 and 2014 Tour de Romandie confirms his previous statements about having had “two TUEs inhis career”…“In nine years as a professional I’ve twice required a TUE for exacerbated asthma; the last time was in 2014.” (www.guardian.com)
It is strange, if you believe that Chris Froome genuinely has asthma and needs to take medication daily to treat it, that given cyclists needed a TUE for salbutamol up until 2010, Froome never applied for, or received, a TUE for his inhaler.
October 18, 2016: Former Team Sky team-mate Froome, 31, said: “Questions remain over his symptoms, the choice of treatment and the related performance benefits from that treatment.” (After Wiggins Fancy Bears Leak, http://www.bbc.co.uk)
2017
Dec 13, 2017: Chris has had asthma since childhood and uses an inhaler to take a common medication, Salbutamol, to prevent and ease symptoms brought on by exercise. (Team Sky statement)
Dec 14, 2017: “My asthma got worse at the Vuelta so I followed the team doctor’s advice to increase my salbutamol dosage. As always, I took the greatest care to ensure that I did not use more than the permissible dose,” Froome said in a team statement. “There are complex medical and physiological issues which affect the metabolism and excretion of salbutamol. We’re committed to establishing the facts and understanding exactly what happened on this occasion,” Brailsford said in the team release. (www.cyclingnews.com)
14 December 2017: “I have been a professional cyclist now, treating my symptoms and racing with asthma, for 10 years,” Froome said. “I know what those rules are, I know what those limits are, and I have never been over those limits.” (www.bicycling.com)
December 17, 2017: After Stage 18 when he was “stronger” compared to the previous day, he took several puffs of his inhaler, says Walsh. “That evening, wanting to show he was healthy, he took two or three puffs from his inhaler hoping he would cough less or not at all through the post-race interview.” (www.thetimes.co.uk)
Dec 17, 2017: A cycling fan recalls listening to a special edition of Richard Moore’s podcast about Froome’s experiences of the Vuelta. He contacts Moore to ask if Froome mentioned his asthma being particularly bad on the day of the elevated salbutamol levels and if so, was it edited out of the finished podcast. Moore replied “He didn’t mention it on or off tape.”
2018
July 2, 2018: Team Sky said in a statement that Froome suffered from ‘acute asthma symptoms’ during the final week of the Vuelta. A team doctor advised Froome to take an increased dose of salbutamol – still within the permissible doses – to help alleviate his symptoms. (www.cyclingweekly.com)
July 2, 2018: The Team Sky rider has always maintained his innocence, claiming he only ever ingested the permitted dosage of the bronchodilator, with Sky sources understanding that part of Froome’s defence was that the elevated concentration of the drug was a result of kidney malfunction. (www.news.sky.com)
July 3, 2018 (about the Vuelta): Chris Froome ”I climbed off and immediately just started googling to learn what I could about salbutamol, about thresholds” (www.thetimes.co.uk)
July 3, 2018: From Froome’s urine samples at La Vuelta, they could measure fluctuations in excretion even when only taking two daily puffs of his inhaler, never mind ten in the final week of the race. (www.thetimes.co.uk)
July 3, 2018: Chris Froome “I’ve been an asthmatic all my life. I know the rules. There is no way I would go over the limit.” (www.thetimes.co.uk)
July 8, 2018 (about the Vuelta): According to the rider, his use of the inhaler was constant. Four times per day when healthy, up to 10 times each day when he got sick in the final week. (www.thetimes.co.uk)
July 8, 2018 (about the Vuelta): Froome told his lawyers that when he was healthy he used his inhaler twice in the morning and twice in the evening, increasing his usage only when dealing with colds or chest infections… his inhalations never exceeded the eight puffs permissible over a twelve hour period. (www.thetimes.co.uk)
So, what have I learned that will help answer the questions posed at the outset?
Does Chris Froome have asthma?
Yes… well, probably! There’s no definitive proof but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he very well might have some form of exercise-induced shortness of breath that has plagued him since some obscure point in time (see next question & answer). Froome contends that he didn’t mention his asthma until absolutely necessary because he didn’t want his rivals to see any perceived weakness.
Or maybe not… Claudio Corti, Froome’s former boss when he rode for Barloworld, has no memory of Froome’s asthma. It must also be noted that cyclists needed a TUE for salbutamol up until 2010. It is strange therefore that Froome never applied for, or received, a TUE for salbutamol, despite the fact that he was riding in Europe at that time. (One of his teammates at Barloworld during this period, Steve Cummings, did have a TUE for salbutamol).
If so, when was it originally diagnosed?
This is not at all clear from the numerous statements he has made, or Team Sky have made on his behalf since 2014. Depending on which one you choose to believe, Chris Froome has had asthma:
- Since he was a teenager (Team Sky statement 2014)
- Since he was a child (Team Sky statement 2017)
- All of his life (Chris Froome, The Times 2018)
How often does he need to take medication to keep his asthma under control?
Again, the information on this is contradictory.
- In 2014, Froome claims “I don’t use [the inhaler] every time I race, normally only when I have a big effort coming up,” whereas,
- On the 3rd of July, 2018, we are told his daily use at the Vuelta was two daily puffs of his inhaler, until he got sick in the final week, whereas,
- On the 8th of July 2018, he claims that his use of the inhaler is constant (At four times per day when healthy, up to 10 times each day when he got sick in the final week), and not reserved solely for big efforts.
Sometimes, he even takes it when he is feeling strong, or for post-stage interviews:
After Stage 18 when he was “stronger” compared to the previous day, he took several puffs of his inhaler, says Walsh. “That evening, wanting to show he was healthy, he took two or three puffs from his inhaler hoping he would cough less or not at all through the post-race interview. (December 17, 2017)
How much did he take on the day of the 2000ng/ml salbutamol reading (before adjustment for dehydration)?
By this stage I am sure that it will not surprise you at all to discover that contradictory statements have been made in relation to this question too. What may shock you though, is that these two contradictory statements were made on the same day, by the same journalist, in the same paper. Depending on which statement you choose to believe he either:
- Used his inhaler twice in the morning and twice in the evening… never exceeding the eight puffs permissible over a twelve hour period, or
- Used his inhaler four times per day when healthy, up to 10 times each day when he got sick in the final week.
Did Chris Froome know about the threshold for salbutamol?
Yes… well probably. He made numerous statements claiming that he did know about the threshold, and that the doctor advising him did also. But he later backtracked on this and claimed to google it after being told about his Adverse Analytical Finding.
- Team Sky said in a statement that Froome suffered from ‘acute asthma symptoms’ during the final week of the Vuelta. A team doctor advised Froome to take an increased dose of salbutamol – still within the permissible doses – to help alleviate his symptoms. (July 2 2018)
- Chris Froome “My asthma got worse at the Vuelta so I followed the team doctor’s advice to increase my salbutamol dosage. As always, I took the greatest care to ensure that I did not use more than the permissible dose” (Dec 14, 2017)
- Chris Froome “I have been a professional cyclist now, treating my symptoms and racing with asthma, for 10 years. I know what those rules are, I know what those limits are, and I have never been over those limits.” (Dec 14, 2017)
- Chris Froome ”I climbed off and immediately just started googling to learn what I could about salbutamol, about thresholds” (July 3, 2018)
What reasons have Team Sky given for the excess salbutamol?
This one we may never know the answer to, as UCI president David Lappartient is claiming that Froome has to give his permission for the reasoned decision to be published, while Froome has stated that he would welcome the publication by WADA of the scientific studies that they used to exonerate him. After years of faux-transparency from Team Sky, and claims of not wanting to assist dopers from WADA, I imagine that we will never see this information. Here are some of the possible reasons given so far:
- There are complex medical and physiological issues which affect the metabolism and excretion of salbutamol. We’re committed to establishing the facts and understanding exactly what happened on this occasion,” Brailsford said in a press release in 2017. If they do understand exactly what happened on this occasion they are keeping it under wraps.
- Sky sources in July 2018 claimed that part of Froome’s defence was that the elevated concentration of the drug was a result of kidney malfunction.
- That Chris took a few extra puffs before his interviews so he wouldn’t cough during them. Presumably in his dehydrated state these could have led to the high reading. David Walsh has repeatedly wrote that Chris told him so, but it does not appear in any other articles or Team Sky statements.
- Chris Froome succeeded where many others have failed, bypassing the pharmacokinetic test with WADA’s permsission and being allowed to adjust his sample for dehydration, bringing it down from 2000ng/ml to 1429ng/ml at the exact same time as WADA decided to increase their permitted level of salbutamol. As UCI president David Lappartient put it: “Team Sky’s wealth helped them fight case in way other teams could not.”
So after reading over 100 articles, and finding more contradictions than would fit into this piece, I think we can safely say that the Chris Froome & Asthma situation is… as clear as mud!
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