This time, it's an Italian rider who had won two of this year's stages. The organizers have to get a handle on this. Either make it so there is not so much money riding on the outcome, or just cancel the whole darned thing. I think the sport's credibility has sunk to less than zero. I'm sick of the whole business.
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I agree. It's ridiculous.
I would hate to see it cancelled, but it doesn't make it fair whatsoever to those who are legit body wise. I don't know what the answer is, but they do need to get a handle on the problem, now. -
What I was wondering is why can't they drug test before and after every stage? Do you think that would cut down on the riders using drugs?
Just a thought I had.Mrs. Wallnut a.k.a (the head nut).Comment
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If you want to get to the root of the problem, follow the money... It may seem like cutting their nose off to spite their face, but I think the sponsors of those caught cheating should be banned or at least suspended. I think you'd be shocked at just how fast things would clean up. Nobody wants to risk big sponsor dollars, only to come up empty. Then teams and individuals would police themselves.Comment
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Team Astana was not invited to the TdF this year, after their team leader tested positive during last year's race. This ban was instituted notwithstanding Astana having cleaned house - new management, new riders, new independently-administered doping control mechanism.
Interestingly, the latest bust was for a form of synthetic EPO for which it was uknown that there was an available test.
JRJRComment
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I simply don't believe that pretty much all of professional sport isn't drug assisted. Take the drug testing out since it's just for show anyway.Comment
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Good! I say keep 'em guessing... Once they see they absolutely will get caught, and that the penalties will be very severe, maybe things will change. The sport should be willing and lightning-quick to cut off an arm to prevent this cancer from spreading.
And my rant is not directed only to cycling. This sort of zero-tolerance policy should be enforced in all organized sport. If the athletes think that this sort of scrutiny is too big-brother-esque, then let them get out here and work for a living like the rest of us...Comment
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Let me say up front that I agree with you. OTOH, what would happen if the governing bodies of sports said "OK, dope all you want-we're not going to police you."
We'd probably see a whole raft of broken records, followed by a whole raft of dead athletes. I seem to recall reading about a survey once that said a large amount of people would be willing to be successful in a sport, even if they would die within ten years. Scary, to my way of thinking.
g.Smit
"Be excellent to each other."
Bill & TedComment
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I'd tattoo "I CHEAT TO WIN" on the guy's forehead.Comment
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It has now been reported that the drug in question, CERA, has a secret molecule, inserted in the original mix by Hoffman-Laroche to aid in dope testing. http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/a...ated-with-wada
WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, worked with the drug maker during the trials process to make this happen. Other new drugs are also getting the same treatment.
It should be noted that these synthetic EPOs and EPO stimulators are very sophisticated proteins created by top-flight labs. Synthetic EPO is very hard to distinguish from its naturally-appearing cousin, erythropoietin. The secret marker makes detection a snap. This is in contrast to the BALCO "designer steroid" approach, in which very common steroids are hacked out with a minor change in composition meant to fool the detectors.
JRJRComment
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It would seem on the surface that engineering a drug so that it would be less attractive to unscrupulous users would be potentially damaging to a company's bottom line, as they make money from sales of the drug regardless of the legality of its ultimate usage. If Hoffman-LaRoche (whom my father worked for way back in the days when Valium first made the scene) has put conscience before profit in this case, then I say bully for them!Comment
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Well, it can be presumed that there are a couple of orders of magnitude difference between the two market segments. Amgen's EPOs each take in billions of dollars. I can't imagine the illegal market to be very large compared to that.
There's another angle here, too. The drug companies very much want to be seen as doing good. Using their drugs for illegal purposes runs counter to that goal. Case in point, Amgen is the title sponsor for the Tour of California. When that was first announced the director of WADA was very vocal in opposition. This in spite of the fact that Amgen is very active in sponsoring community outrreach via cycling, hosting a 5-day charity ride in California, and minor sponsorships in a number of other one-day events.
JRJRComment
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Yes, but as we all know, Dick Pound always lived up to his first name.
In the news this morning is that Olympic swimmer Jessica Hardy has allegedly tested positive for a banned substance. Details are still sketchy, but if true it's another indication that doping is hardly contained to professional cycling or a few celebrated cases in major-league sports. Cycling just gets the blackest eye because of all the sports in the world, it is the one most willing to air its dirty laundry in public.LarryComment
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Wish I could find it, but I saw an article recently about the concern nowadays for steroid use in organized sports at the middle school level!!! There are even scholarship offers coming from colleges to football and basketball standout athletes before they play their first HS game! When money and fame are lavished on the winners, everybody wants to become one, regardless of the risk. It is a very sad commentary of the times we live in.
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