November 13, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 02, 1428

AMSTERDAM, Nov 12: Rabobank were right to expel Dane Michael Rasmussen from this year’s Tour de France because he lied about his training whereabouts, an independent inquiry said on Monday.

“The rider claims that he incorrectly stated his whereabouts due to private reasons. The committee does not deem this explanation to be credible,” the inquiry, led by former Dutch Olympic chief, Peter Vogelzang said in its report.

It said Rasmussen should not have been permitted to start in the Tour based on the information known to Rabobank at that time. “The committee concludes that the board of directors of Rabo Cycling Teams in general, and its chairman Theo de Rooij in particular, did not adequately assess the importance of multiple signs concerning Rasmussen’s conduct prior to the Tour,” the report said.—Reuters