Contador banned

[Noodley]

And what about all the sponsorship and product endorsement payments?

Snivelling little cheat.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Bastardo Tramposo española

 

[Ghost Donkey]

Sure, why not? You should only be punished for what you're proven to have done. Besides, you can't win a race if you're DQ'd a stage.

He tested positive on a rest day didn't he? With that logic he would keep his title

 

[Paul_L]

Saxo are in a bit of a state now aren't they?

Officially crowned winner of the 2010 TdF. But they then signed Beefy Bertie at the start of the 2011 season, during which he must have amassed a ton of UCI ranking points for them, presumably with a chance of losing them and their World Tour status?

 

[dellzeqq]

Blimey, I wasn't expecting that! I genuinely thought he'd walk!

I did too. Sort of an nothing judgement, though

I presume there's a clause in his contract with Saxo which says 'get banned for doping and you're sacked'. What intrigues me is whether they will enforce it.

 

[rich p]

Saxo wouldn't be worth their salt if they got rid of Bertie

Given that he'll be back in August and Bjarne is 60% behind any dopers, I think they'll stick with AC. The stoopid thing is that I'm pretty sure he'd win his fair share of the GTs on bread and water and may well do so. Nailed on for the Vuelta? Get your money on now!

 

[Alun]

CAS find the contaminated steak excuse as “equally unlikely” as the blood transfusion scenario.
If the contaminated steak is a “dog ate my homework” excuse, it doesn’t say much for the blood transfusion explanation that so many think was the cause.

 

[yello]

I don't follow that Alun.That is, I think I get what you're trying to say but it doesn't fall out logically from your words. You're assuming a parity (where none exists) between the CAS statement and the opinions of people that don't buy the contaminated meat theory.

 

[Alun]

What I'm trying to say is that I think many more people would believe the blood transfusion explanation than the contaminated steak excuse. CAS are saying that they are both equally rubbish!

I think the contaminated steak brought in by a friend etc etc is very unlikely, and would believe the blood transfusion explanation, if it wasn't for the difference in dates between the plasticisers being discovered and the clenbutamol being discovered ( or was that just inaccurate reporting).

I think CAS's hands may have been tied, because if they had given any weight to the unapproved plasticizer test, I think Contador could have had grounds to appeal to a Swiss Federal court on procedural error.

 

[yello]

I think many more people would believe the blood transfusion explanation than the contaminated steak excuse.

I agree, both with your assessment AND that the transfusion is the more likely!

CAS are saying that they are both equally rubbish!

True, they are.

The two are different statements though, no correlation between them. That is, just because CAS think both theories are unlikely, it's not inconsistent for someone to believe one theory over the other.

I think CAS's hands may have been tied, because if they had given any weight to the unapproved plasticizer test, I think Contador could have had grounds to appeal to a Swiss Federal court on procedural error.

An interesting thought, I hadn't considered that. Maybe CAS couldn't give credence to the transfusion theory (despite what the individuals on the panel may have believed) for the reasons you give. They had to present a cast-iron judgement and suggesting transfusion allowed wiggle room.

 

[SoloCyclist]

I would just like to say that I really respect Andy Schleck's statement on being awarded the 2010 TdF. He is quoted as saying "I battled with Contador in that race and I lost"

 

[totallyfixed]

I would just like to say that I really respect Andy Schleck's statement on being awarded the 2010 TdF. He is quoted as saying "I battled with Contador in that race and I lost"

The cynical side of me says because he was no different from Contador

 

[ColinJ]

The cynical side of me says because he was no different from Contador

Indeed! If I had come second in the TDF (or any other major sporting event) to someone who was later convicted of doping I would be very angry that I had been robbed of my rightful first place. (Assuming that I wasn't thinking "There but for the Grace of God go I" ...)

 

[SoloCyclist]

The cynical side of me says because he was no different from Contador

I thought of that, but I like to think it is the sheer competitor in the man that he takes no joy in being awarded a race he never won.

He didn't need to say anything. He must have known people would accuse him of what you just said, and he may have his own thoughts on the matter of Contador.

 

[rich p]

I thought of that, but I like to think it is the sheer competitor in the man that he takes no joy in being awarded a race he never won.

He didn't need to say anything. He must have known people would accuse him of what you just said, and he may have his own thoughts on the matter of Contador.

I'm still waiting for a more plausible explanantion as to why AS gave Dr Fuentes 7,000 euros for so-called training advice