Wilkins tangled in another web of lies

The British discus record-holder who was banned for life for doping offences has been exposed yet again as dishonest.

Perriss Wilkins recently contacted this newspaper for information on a Herald exclusive regarding a nutrition company whose product had been contaminated. Wilkins stated that this was possibly responsible for his drugs positive, but also claimed to have been suffering from testicular cancer.

UK Athletics yesterday moved to discount any possibility of such an explanation for the two positive samples last year which caused him to be suspended.

The first case was a raised testosterone-epitestosterone ratio (potentially symptomatic of testicular cancer), the second a positive reading for the anabolic steroid, methandienone. Both were put to UKA's drug advisory officer, who decided each case separately. On methandienone he was banned for two years.

After repeated requests for evidence of cancer, Wilkins submitted a letter which purported to come from his endocrinologist. It contained some inconsistencies, and the UKA medical officer contacted the specialist.

"The endocrinologist confirmed the letter that Perriss Wilkins had provided was based on, but was fundamentally different to, the one he had originally sent to him," said UKA yesterday. "Essentially his letter had been tampered with to change its meaning completely . . . The committee decided Perriss Wilkins had provided no evidence on which they could rely that he was suffering from testicular cancer.

"The committee was also sceptical as to whether Perriss Wilkins had undergone sur-gery to treat his alleged cancer as he had suggested, because he could provide no evidence of this."

Given the life ban already imposed, no further disciplinary action will be taken against him.

However, the UK record set at a minor university event by Wilkins, who was once caught with a lightweight discus in the arena, remains in the record books. Given his cheating, and other misconduct, its integrity is increasingly suspect.