MBA recently contacted Jerome Chiotti. We asked him if he could tell us more about his decision to take performance-enhancing drugs back then, what happened to cause him to confess his wrongdoing, and what his life is like today.
MBA: What made you decide to start taking EPO?
Jerome Chiotti: In 1994, when I was a professional road racer with the Catavana team, I decided to start doping with cortisone because a well-known rider told me about it, explaining that it would help me recover and get better. Then, I went to Festina in 1995, where I took EPO (as well as growth hormones and testosterone) to take my physique to the next level and win some great competitions! And, of course, more money!
MBA: What effect did the drug have on your racing ability?
JC: Huge! Otherwise, what’s the point of doping? It’s important to remember that each drug has its own specific effect. EPO helps to produce red blood cells, which means better oxygenation of the muscles. Growth hormone and testosterone provide strength. Cortisone removes pain. Imagine the results when you combine them all!
MBA: Were you afraid of getting caught?
JC: Of course. It’s hard to be serene at the first check-up. But, as time goes by, you soon realize that the protocols established by the professional team doctors have been perfected and that there won’t be any problems. That’s all changed now that there are unannounced checks, but the loopholes are still there.
MBA: How did you feel after winning the World Championship?
JC: At first, it was the achievement of a lifetime in the sport, a great source of pride. But, as time went by, with the medical protocols to follow and the lies, I ended up feeling a lot of guilt for having won by cheating.
MBA: Did you feel guilty about using a drug to win the title?
JC: At the time, of course not. Otherwise, I’d never have started doping! But, as the years went by, the guilt slowly built up to the point of shame.
MBA: What prompted you to admit that you had used a drug to help you win the World Championship?
JC: Emerging guilt, the birth of my first daughter, fear of new drugs, fear of side effects, fear of being caught with products when traveling for sports by police and customs. I also found it increasingly difficult to tolerate the general hypocrisy of the cycling world and its governing bodies. Finally, to show the general public that it’s all lies and deceptions.
MBA: Where do you live now?
JC: I live in southern France in a small village (Saint Jean de Maruéjols) one hour from Avignon and Nîmes.
MBA: Are you married with kids now?
JC: I got divorced in 2005. I had with Laura, my first wife, two daughters who are 24 and 21 years old. Now, it’s four years I’ve lived with Marielle.
MBA: What kind of work do you do now?
JC: After my professional cyclist career ended in 2003, I had a restaurant for eight years, and since 2011, I’m a cyclist instructor/guide for a French company, Discover France. I guide American guests who want to visit the nicest places in France by bike (such as Provence, Burgundy and Châteaux de la Loire) and some others who want to follow the Tour de France. Discover France is an official tour operator of the Tour de France.