The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), after news broke that British Cycling athletes returned samples with traces of the steroid nandrolone in late 2010 and that British Cycling was allowed to conduct its own internal investigation into the matter and formally launched an investigation into UK Anti-Doping (UKAD).

Extensive reporting in the "Mail on Sunday" newspaper reported that UKAD informed British Cycling that one of its athletes' samples contained nandrolone, a threshold substance, possibly due to health problems or contaminated supplements. The athletes were reportedly told that one of their samples contained nandrolone, a reference value substance. In order to trigger action by an anti-doping organization, the amount of a threshold substance detected in a sample must be above a certain level, or threshold.

According to unnamed sources cited by The Sunday Times (opens in new tab), UKAD issued a warning to British Cycling and the athlete in question after "the lowest possible level" of nandrolone was detected in the sample.

WADA's initiation of the investigation was fully disclosed in the Mail on Sunday, which also reported that UKAD had "authorized" British Cycling to investigate the matter and that UKAD had no record of what had happened since.

A WADA spokesperson confirmed to Cycling News on Saturday that the Information and Investigation Department is seeking information from UKAD on the matter.

"Some of the information provided is of serious concern to WADA," the spokesman said.

"We have requested that the Independent Intelligence and Investigations Department investigate this matter and contact UKAD for further information."

The Mail on Sunday report, written by Nick Harris, also includes an emphasis that UKAD should have been the investigating agency for the nandrolone test, rather than WADA being British Cycling.

"Under Article 20.5.6 of the 2009 World Anti-Doping Code, National Anti-Doping Organizations were obliged to vigorously pursue all possible anti-doping rule violations within their jurisdiction, including investigating whether athlete support personnel or other persons were involved in doping cases. It was obligated to pursue the case vigorously. The elements you have provided are of grave concern to WADA," the world body told the Mail on Sunday.

WADA will also look into reports that British Cycling was authorized to conduct its own internal testing for prohibited substances.

"The rules governing certain activities of National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are a matter for UKAD.

"However, all such NGBs are under the umbrella of the appropriate signatory body of the World Anti-Doping Code and are therefore bound by its provisions.

UKAD responded to the BBC as follows: the amount of "threshold substances" may be reported by laboratories with negative samples found to be below the thresholds requiring investigation.

"These are trace amounts and may be naturally present in the body. [According to WADA guidance, these trace findings can be used to determine who will be tested in the future and when, but do not automatically lead to an investigation.

"We operate within the framework of WADA and are always willing to cooperate if WADA should ever request further information regarding our activities."

The news is likely to shock British Cycling, especially UKAD. Last week Cyclingnews revealed that UKAD had failed to contact several potential witnesses after the doping allegations against Shane Sutton were brought forward. Sutton vehemently denied the allegations.

In 2010, the British Cycling management team consisted of Dave Brailsford, Sutton, Richard Freeman, and Steve Peters.

According to a report in the Mail on Sunday, after being notified of the Nandrolone inspection, the British Cycling management team, in a move that would subject riders in the track program to inspection with their consent, used a private lab for an internal inspection The decision was made to embark on the program. According to the Mail on Sunday, Freeman, who was struck from the British Medical Register last week and is currently under investigation by UKAD for two alleged anti-doping violations, notified riders by email of British Cycling's plans, and British Cycling will use the riders' testing HFL Sports Science was used, according to the Mail's sources, and the test results showed no contamination of the athletes' supplements or results indicating nandrolone of natural origin.

A British Cycling spokesperson told the Mail on Sunday: "None of the people involved in your inquiry currently work for British Cycling and it is difficult to verify the information you sent."

"We are happy to review our email records at the time and share our findings with you, subject to any GDPR or other legal or regulatory constraints. However, this is not an easy process and will take time and we will not be able to respond before the deadline (Saturday)."

As for UKAD, which has publicly stated that it "has a responsibility to create an environment of trust in clean sport across the UK," questions loom large. First, why did they notify British Cycling of the initial results, then why did they allow the sports organization to conduct its own internal investigation, and why did the anti-doping agency not follow up on British Cycling's findings to determine the root cause of the nandrolone testing? were not.

Nicole Sapstead, CEO, who was UKAD's director of operations, said in a statement: "We refute any implication that it would be improper to talk to NGBs about samples containing trace amounts of reference material."

The UKAD's CEO, Nicole Sapstead, said.

UKAD also confirmed that it has no record of results from private drug tests conducted.