L’Equipe Reporter Denies Wrongdoing in Ian Thorpe Leak; Throws Down Gauntlet in Finding Source of Leak

PARIS, France, June 18. DAMIEN Ressiot, the L'Equipe writer who first reported on Ian Thorpe's doping case investigation, denied any wrongdoing in his report as well as stated that Thorpe "will never find the source of the leaks", in an article appearing in today's edition of The Sydney Morning Herald.

Ressiot also stated that he was not responsible for the fact that Thorpe first learned about the investigation by his report in L'Equipe. He put the blame for that occurrence squarely on the shoulders of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority for not informing Thorpe earlier.

In the article written by Philippa Bourke, Ressiot also explained why L'Equipe delayed the report until the FINA World Championships.

"But it became clear in talking with Ressiot that L'Equipe – which some have criticised as waging a propaganda campaign – timed the release of the Thorpe news for maximum publicity. Not only did the paper wait to release the story as if it was a live scoop on Thorpe – at the competition where the newly retired swimmer and the world's press would be – it waited until Ressiot would be there to take the hits.

"I had to come to Melbourne if only to be present when the article came out and to shoulder my responsibility," he said."

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