As far as I remember it originated in a Times article from David Walsh. As Walsh is known to be unnaturally close to Sky and employed by News International it could be considered to be a Sky statement by proxy. As it's paywalled the nearest I can find is
this.
“That evening at the finish (of stage 18), wanting to show he was healthy, he took two or three puffs from his inhaler hoping he would cough less or not at all through the post-race interview,” Walsh claims.
In other news, Dick Pound opens up the prospect of the entertainment lasting even longer ... This one could run and run.
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/r...snt-impose-a-ban-says-former-president-364533