Swiss company plays down involvement in Schu scandal

Jul.8 (GMM) A Swiss helicopter company has played down reports it is at the centre of the scandal involving Michael Schumacher's stolen medical report.

French authorities have traced the internet IP of a figure calling themself 'Kagemusha', who was offering confidential information about the F1 legend's health in the wake of his skiing fall to media agencies for EUR 50,000.

Reports said the IP was linked to a helicopter company in Switzerland.

A Zurich-based company called Rega admitted that, as Schumacher's transfer from Grenoble to a Lausanne rehabilitation clinic was being arranged, it was contacted and Schumacher's medical file was passed on.

But the company, reportedly the major air ambulance operator in Switzerland, told AFP news agency that it believed "patient confidentiality had been preserved".

The Rega spokesperson added that it had "no knowledge of the investigation and had not been contacted by the authorities".

20min.ch, a Swiss website, quoted Rega spokesman Philipp Keller as saying: "Rega organised transport from Grenoble to Lausanne for a patient.

"As part of the organisation, a medical report was provided by the hospital in Grenoble."

Keller, however, said Rega only learned of the theft of Schumacher's records from the media.