Sir Dave Brailsford: Team Sky's package for Bradley Wiggins contained decongestant Fluimucil

The Team Sky principal was speaking at a select committee hearing held by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, where he was questioned over the lack of clarity over the issue of the package.

“[Team Sky doctor Richard] Freeman told me it was Fluimucil for a nebuliser. That was what was in the package. It was what Dr Freeman told me,” Brailsford said, ending months of silence over the contents of the delivery to Tour de France champion Wiggins.

Team Sky and Wiggins’ practices were called into question after a leak of medical data by Russian hackers ‘Fancy Bears’ which showed that Wiggins had used Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs). The British team have consistently stated that Wiggins’ use of the TUEs was within the rules of the sport and cleared by the relevant authorities, but the story of a previously unidentified package, flown to Wiggins in 2011, has cast a shadow over the final season of his career.

Wiggins himself made light of the situation ahead of Monday’s hearing.

And during his time in front of the committee Brailsford spoke of his regret over the damage the incident has caused to Team Sky’s reputation.

"We've a fantastic reputation and the team don't deserve to have this shadow cast over them. It pains me."

Also appearing at the hearing was the former Team Sky head coach and technical director of British Cycling, Shane Sutton, who was quizzed over his role in the TUE affair, the delivery of the Fluimicil package and his alleged sexist comments towards British cyclist Jess Varnish.

“There’s a lot of people that are jealous, there are lot of people who are bitter,” Sutton told the committee when asked why there was such interest in this story. “We’re policed more than any other sport in the world.

And on the Varnish issue, Sutton added: “Apologise? In 10 years I had not had one complaint against me until one athlete was dropped from the Olympic team. She’s entitled to have her say and I can have my say but I’ll leave it up to the legal team.”