Sutton storms out of tribunal after 'doper', 'serial liar' accusations

Australian Shane Sutton stormed out of the medical tribunal hearing of Dr Richard Freeman on Tuesday afternoon after being accused of being 'a doper' and 'a serial liar'.

Shane Sutton looks on in 2017 Source: Getty Images

The 62-year-old, and former head coach at Team Sky and British Cycling, left the hearing after a set of accusations upon being cross-examined by Freeman's lawyer Mary O'Rourke.

Freeman had already accepted 18 of 22 charges against him, including that he ordered the banned Testogel to be sent to the Manchester velodrome, and then lied to UK Anti-Doping about trying to cover it up.

However, Sutton furiously denied he had bullied Freeman - who he worked alongside - into ordering 30 sachets of Testogel, to treat his alleged erectile dysfunction.

Sutton denied he suffers from the condition and had never heard of Testogel prior to the reporting of this case.

"Our case about Mr Sutton is that he's a habitual and serial liar," O'Rourke said according to reports.

"He's a doper, with a doping history."

Sutton continued to deny all the accusations, including an anonymous witness who said there were vials of testosterone he had a fridge at his home in the late 1990s.

"You have called me a serial liar but you don’t even know me. I just think you are totally out of order. An apology would be nice given you don’t even know me," Sutton said.

On Freeman, Sutton said: "I am prepared to take a lie detector test. Who is lying? The guy who isn’t prepared to look his friend in the eye. This is a guy who came to hospital when I had bleeding on the brain when he had no reason to. To me he is a bloody good doctor and a friend."

When O’Rourke insisted that Sutton instructed Freeman to order the Testogel, he responded: "Now who’s lying? You. I’m sorry but you’re lying through your back teeth and so is your client. I can look you in the eye and swear on my three year-old daughter’s life, I never ordered it."

Speaking outside of the tribunal, Sutton said he would consider returning on Thursday to give more evidence.