Eric Rijkaert

Eric Rijkaert also written Eric Rijckaert (born 1943 - died January 27, 2001 in Ostwinkel, Belgium ) was a former Belgian sports physican. Rijkaert worked with the Festina cycling team. He was said to be at the heart of the Festina affair of 1998 that led to the withdrawal of the entire Festina team during the 1998 Tour de France. [cite web|url=http://www.sport.fr/Cyclisme/cyc/6917.shtm|title=Disparition du Docteur Rijckaert|publisher= Sport.fr |accessdate=2008-04-08] Rijkaert was the team doctor from 1993 until the Festina affair in 1998. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclisme-dopage.com/actualite/2001-01-27-sportal-yahoo.htm
title=La Mort d’Eric Rijkaert Cyclisme dopage.com |publisher=Cyclisme dopage|accessdate=2008-04-08]

History

Rijkaert was active in cycling when EPO was being introduced to the professional peloton by doctors such as Francesco Conconi and his former assistant Michele Ferrari. Rijkaert was firstly the team doctor of the PDM team from 1986 to 1992. After that he joined the Festina team where he stayed as doctor until the Festina Affair of the 1998 Tour de France. Rijkaert was said to have proposed the use of EPO to some of the riders. [cite web|url=http://www.humanite.fr/2000-10-25_Sports_-Luc-Leblanc-Nous-vivons-dans-un-monde-d-hypocrites |title=Luc Leblanc : " Nous vivons dans un monde d’hypocrites ! |publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-08] Rijkaert was known amongst the riders as "Dr Fiat Punto" after the "Punto" (a small model of Fiat automobile). This name came about in comparison to the famous Italian physican Michele Ferrari.cite web|url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2000/mar00/mar30newsa.shtml |title=Eric Rijckaert's new book |publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-08] This was because of his carefulness compared to the high performances yielded by Ferrari. Rijkaert would not let the riders blood haematocrit level go above 53-54%. Rijkaert was under pressure from team management to go higher and further with doping of the riders. [http://www.wielersportboeken.be/R/rijckaert_eric/rijckaert.htm Eric Rijckaert] ]

Rijkaert together with Bruno Roussel were arrested during the 1998 Tour de France in the town of Cholet [cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/07/98/tour_de_france/133542.stm |title=O'Grady wears the jersey, but Blijlevens wins the stage|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-08] Rijkaert spent 100 days in jail while suffering from lung cancer which he said in a book he released in Dutch called "The Festina Affair" or "De Zaak Festina" This ordeal during the diagnosis of his lung cancer was said to have deeply affected Rijkaert mentally and physically. His book tried to open a discussion about doping in cycling. [cite web|url=http://www.gva.be/dossiers/-d/doping/rijckaert.asp |title= Festina-dokter Eric Rijckaert wil met boek dopingdiscussie opentrekken |publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-08] In October 2000, Rijkaert was fined around 15,000 euros for breaking the law against doping. [cite web|url= http://www.cyclisme-dopage.com/actualite/2000-10-02-afp-yahoo.htm |title=Eric Ryckaert, l'ancien médecin de Festina, condamné pour dopage |publisher= Cyclisme dopage|accessdate=2008-04-08] Rijkaert died from lung cancer in January 2001.

References