Question Marks Over Danish Cycling Team After Every Rider Is Spotted With The Exact Same Medical Tape

Denmark's track cycling team absolutely shattered the Olympic record, clocking a time of 03:45:014 to advance to the next round of the competition.

The four riders well and truly took the Tokyo velodrome by storm with their first run, but not everyone is convinced that the Danes did it fairly.

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Ex-Olympian Chris Boardman has voiced his concerns with the team's apparent use of "aerodynamically advantageous" kinesiology tape.

On closer inspection, this medical tape was found on all four riders in exactly the same spot on their bodies - the left shin right up to the bottom of the knee joint.

"Every rider with the same injury on both legs requiring 'medical tape' down the front of their legs, coincidently exactly where it would be aerodynamically advantageous," Boardman tweeted along with the 'suspicious' emojis.

But it appears the British former cyclist isn't the only one pointing the finger.

Other cycling fans have also flocked to social media to insist that the tape clearly gives the Danes an unfair advantage by making them more aerodynamic.

And while rules around drug doping are known by every athlete competing in Tokyo (well, you'd hope so), track cycling's governing body has gone one step further to ensure riders aren't getting any performance benefits - even from their own clothing.

Back in 2019, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) released new regulations on sock height in a bid to make events a level playing field.

The rule states: "Socks and overshoes used in competition may not rise above the height defined by half the distance between the middle of the lateral malleolus and the middle of the fibula head."

So while the Danes weren't getting an advantage through the use of their socks, some people reckon they were trying to get more streamlined by using medical tape instead.

In a follow-up tweet, Boardman added: "To clarify, I believe Danish team OK'd tape use with UCI. However: Page 73 UCI regs 1.3.0033... any non-essential element of which the purpose is not exclusively that of clothing or protection, is forbidden...shall also apply regarding any material... not itself an item of clothing."

Olympic officials in Tokyo are yet to launch a formal investigation into the matter, although some reports suggest they are already aware of it.

As for the Danish team themselves, they're yet to comment.

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Topics: olympics, Tokyo Olympics, Denmark, Cycling, Australia

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry