'I took part in doping'

Disgraced former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich has admitted that he underwent blood doping procedures under the guidance of a Spanish doctor at the heart of a major drugs scandal.

The 39-year-old German, who was banned for two years in 2012 for a doping offence, had previously confessed to having contact with Eufemiano Fuentes but consistently denied being illegally assisted by the doctor.

On Saturday, however, Ullrich was quoted in German weekly news magazine Focus as saying he had been helped by Fuentes.

"Yes I did undergo Fuentes treatments," the 1997 Tour de France champion said. "Almost everyone took performance-enhancing substances back then.’’