Doping git thread

[smutchin]

Actually, I say 'we' already know who the 23 cyclists are but I couldn't tell you off the top of my head without doing some internet research.

Thing is, even if it is confirmed that Chris Horner is 'Rider 15', for example, there will still be those who say even if he was doping in 2007, it's no proof that he was still doping in 2013. Most of us have already made up our minds either way on that one.

A Cheat?

A daffodil!

 

[Hont]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ope...to-be-handed-over-to-anti-doping-authorities/

I read that and thought "good news", but actually it's only what should have happened in the first place.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

It stinks. The judge has effectively operated a delaying tactic so that the blood bags were released only after the ten year limit had expired. He has also cleared Fuentes of all charges, which means there is nothing legally preventing him from returning to professional sports medicine. There is no other credible explanation other than bribery and corruption.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Riders? The really interesting outcome will be if any footballers or tennis players are named. I'd be surprised if we learned anything new with regard to cycling - only confirming the identities of the 23 cyclists, which we already know.

And this:

It stinks. The judge has effectively operated a delaying tactic so that the blood bags were released only after the ten year limit had expired. He has also cleared Fuentes of all charges, which means there is nothing legally preventing him from returning to professional sports medicine. There is no other credible explanation other than bribery and corruption.

 

[Hont]

Whilst it definitely stinks of something, it was a different judge that made today's order vs the one who made the order to destroy the bags. The clearing of Fuentes appears to be down to a legal nuance, as there was no law against athletic doping at the time and it centred around whether his actions endangered public health rather than any question of what he was doing. So there is another credible explanation: the law is an ass.

The Lance Armstrong case has shown that the damage to your reputation can be pretty punitive - even if you don't serve a ban. So lets hope the owners of those bags are sleeping badly tonight.

 

[smutchin]

The Lance Armstrong case has shown that the damage to your reputation can be pretty punitive

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Whilst it definitely stinks of something, it was a different judge that made today's order vs the one who made the order to destroy the bags. The clearing of Fuentes appears to be down to a legal nuance, as there was no law against athletic doping at the time and it centred around whether his actions endangered public health rather than any question of what he was doing. So there is another credible explanation: the law is an ass.

It doesn't have to be the same judge for there to be something going on, and in any case, it won't be the judges who make (all) the decisions on timing. If there are blood bags belonging to people with the kinds of resources like certain 'top' tennis and soccer stars, then money for bribing a few legal officials is not going to be lacking. If this isn't the case, it just seems like an incredible coincidence that poor practice and mistakes led to this particular timing...

 

[rich p]

I'm

It doesn't have to be the same judge for there to be something going on, and in any case, it won't be the judges who make (all) the decisions on timing. If there are blood bags belonging to people with the kinds of resources like certain 'top' tennis and soccer stars, then money for bribing a few legal officials is not going to be lacking. If this isn't the case, it just seems like an incredible coincidence that poor practice and mistakes led to this particular timing...

I read somewhere ( I'll look around later if I have time) that the SOL was 8 years, and 10 years has now passed. I can't be sure though.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

No Tour de France for Simon Yates this year. He gets a 4-month ban for unintentional doping.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/simon-yates-handed-four-month-non-intentional-doping-ban/

Fair enough really. Assuming it all was a mistake of course...

 

[fossyant]

No Tour de France for Simon Yates this year. He gets a 4-month ban for unintentional doping.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/simon-yates-handed-four-month-non-intentional-doping-ban/

Fair enough really. Assuming it all was a mistake of course...

No excuse. If he was asthmatic he would know which ones to take - you wouldn't have the inhalers with the banned drugs about, but far too many pros seem to be asthmatic.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

No excuse. If he was asthmatic he would know which ones to take - you wouldn't have the inhalers with the banned drugs about, but far too many pros seem to be asthmatic.

I think the point is that TUE's are generally not dealt with by the rider but by the team doctor. Who messed up in this case. Whether we believe that so many cyclists are asthmatics or not is besides the point - or is a different discussion. He has to be treated the same as anyone else who is recognised as having the condition. Which means he has to take the punishment, but not as much as someone who did not have a recognised condition but was taking medication for it. And certainly not as much as someone who was taking a completely non-therapeutic substance.

 

[fossyant]

There is a significant number of TUE's for asthma in pro cycling over and above the norm. Just saying !

Thing is, if you are taking a medication regularly, like inhalers, you would know which one you have. Why they have inhalers around that contain 'banned' substances is very questionable.

 

[smutchin]

Thing is, if you are taking a medication regularly, like inhalers, you would know which one you have.

You're missing the point - the problem is not that he didn't know what he was taking, it's that the required TUE wasn't obtained due to an admin oversight. It's unlikely that this is the first time he's used the medication, but it is the first time the doctor has failed to file the paperwork.

Why they have inhalers around that contain 'banned' substances is very questionable.

A valid concern, but as @Flying_Monkey says, a bit of a side issue in this case.

It's to the team's credit that they have held their hands up and admitted the mistake rather than come up with some weaselish excuse, but it does go to show that even the reputedly 'clean' teams aren't averse to interpreting the rules to the letter rather than the spirit.

 

[fimm]

I saw the documentary film "Pantani - the accidental death of a cyclist" last night. Boy did he go up hills fast! I don't think I have ever seen anyone climb quite like that. You could see why he was so admired.
Now we know what we know, of course. Hence I am posting in this thread.

 

[User169]

Floyd really is incorrigible..

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/floyd-landis-starts-cannabis-product-business-in-colorado/