Callum Skinner releases medical records after hack

Fancy Bears revealed that Skinner, who won team sprint gold and individual sprint silver in Rio, has twice used TUEs for his ongoing asthma suffering.

Skinner's treatments were within anti-doping regulations, however athletes suffering from asthma have begun to raise suspicion, due to the alleged disproportionately high number of elite athletes using asthma medication.

However, Skinner was quick to make his medical records public and quell any suggestions that he had abused the TUE system.

"When I went on Twitter and saw a headline with my name and stories with my picture I knew that people would be sceptical and think my TUEs could be questionable," he told The Scotsman.

"And to be honest, I sympathise. I imagine myself a few years ago, as a cycling fan. I would have read the headline, not bothered opening the article, and moved on, putting two and two together and concluding that it all sounded a bit dodgy.

"After the leak I resolved to release my NHS medical records, so I've spent the past week phoning doctors I've seen and the hospitals to which I have been admitted on four occasions having suffered asthma attacks.

"I was keen to make my records public for two reasons: to prove that my condition is real, but also to show that asthma need not stop somebody competing at the highest level."

The Team GB rider posted his records on his own website, which show he has been treated for the condition since the age of five.

He has also had to go to hospital on several occasions due to severe asthma attacks, and has twice been granted a TUE.

In November 2014 he was prescribed prednisolone for five days, and in January 2016 he was given a two-day course of salbutamol that was greater than the normally allowed dosage.

"Sometimes TUEs are necessary – I had my second in January after falling ill, with a two-day treatment of salbutamol clearing up the problem and causing minimum disruption to my?training," he added.

"I'm not claiming the TUE system is perfect. One athlete using the system for performance enhancement rather than for genuine health reasons is one too many.

"But personally, I have no issue with all my TUEs, and drug test results, being made public. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."

Sportsbeat 2016