It's not just us. . . . .

[Tim Bennet.]

Doping stories concerning cyclists frequently trigger a couple of responses: One is 'we do more testing, therefore....' and the other is 'we're no worse than they are, etc'.

So out of interest, here's the current 'banned list' from the ISAF (sailing).

Justin Noble (CAN) - (Anti Doping violation)
Christine Johnston (GBR) - (Anti Doping violation).
Shinya Kunieda (JPN) - (Breaking RRS 5: banned substances and method).
Simon Daubney (NZL) - (Provisionally suspended pending an Anti Doping violation hearing).
Duarte Falcao Correia Santos (POR) - (Anti Doping)
Guido E. Lugo Modesto (PUR) - (Presence of Cannabinoids)
Brodie L Cobb (USA) - (Gross Breach of good manners and sportsmanship).
Sean Ross (USA) - (Gross Breach of good manners and sportsmanship).

Five dopers, one recreational drug user and two Americans with no sence of sportsmanship.

 

[Dave5N]

Mind you, stuck on a boat in the middle of nowhere for weeks on end, you'd probably want a little smoke...

 

[Keith Oates]

The fact that it happens in other sports seems wasted to me, I'm interested in cycling and if yachtmen are at it is not really my concern. I only wish that some of the non cycling press etc. would follow my lead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[wafflycat]

That's the thing. *Not* excusing drug-taking in cycling at all (drug cheats should be banned for life), but the amount of coverage and vilification of cycling *compared to other sports* is what gets me. Where are the calls for athletics to be dropped from the Olympics, following the recent spate of drugs-related scandals, as happened with cycling following the TdF? British athletes welcomed back into the arms of the public by the media - one even getting nominated for BBC Sports' Personality of the Year.. It's the hypocracy with which cycling is vilified in the media whilst other sports are not dealt with in the same way. I repeat, I am *not* condoning drug-taking in cycling.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

On a similar note, I hear Ted Hankey has been banned from Professional Darts for 2 years after a post-match urine sample showed traces of lettuce in his diet.

 

[walker]

That's the thing. *Not* excusing drug-taking in cycling at all (drug cheats should be banned for life), but the amount of coverage and vilification of cycling *compared to other sports* is what gets me. Where are the calls for athletics to be dropped from the Olympics, following the recent spate of drugs-related scandals, as happened with cycling following the TdF? British athletes welcomed back into the arms of the public by the media - one even getting nominated for BBC Sports' Personality of the Year.. It's the hypocracy with which cycling is vilified in the media whilst other sports are not dealt with in the same way. I repeat, I am *not* condoning drug-taking in cycling.

WC, do you not think that it's the people in the sport that are leaking the news to the press and other sports are a little more tight lipped? The story has to come from someone and I know the press don't hang around in testing rooms

 

[Keith Oates]

I think L'Equipe (sp) have an inside track to some, if not all, of the French Labs and when informed can't spread the news fast enough to show how good they are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Monty Dog]

Sports Illustrated in the US are covering the story of a jailed father who doped his 12 year old with steroids and HGH for speed skating!

 

[Dave5N]

No doubt just helping the child to compete on a level playing field (or rink)

 

[Tetedelacourse]

<bump>

Blech! I don't understand this article. Can anyone explain it for me? Why select him if they (REALLY REALLY REALLY) don't want to? Or do they just want to?

Where there's a dwill, there's a Dwain

 

[rich p]

If they hadn't picked him they would have bankrupted the sport with a costly court case ( as they did with Diane Modahl). He has served his time and was free to compete again under IAAF ruling. Their mistake was only banning him for 2 years and hoping he wouldn't come back ( see Millar D.)
The other flaw in their case is that this is his second comeback. He had even won a relay medal for GB after serving his time ( when Darren Campbell refused to do a lap of honour with him).
UKA has really painted itself into a corner on this one - it's about as coherent as the UCI.
Finally they allow Carl Myerscough to compete freely in shot putt despite the fact that he has served at least one drugs ban! Double standards? Is it cos me black?

 

[Tim Bennet.]

He was banned by the IAAF for two years because of his drugs use. The British Athletics authorities also have an additional rule that bans drug cheats for life from competing in the Olympics. However this ban does not extend to other championships.

Dwain Chambers turned up at the indoor trials and won selection to the World Indoor Championships by meeting the selection criteria as laid down (ie he won). British Athletics, due to the way they are lottery funded, sees every event culminating in the Olympics. Therefore they don't want people who are ineligible for the Olympics taking up team places in what they see as these 'learning events'.

However this is a 'preference' of theirs and has no legal basis. So, threatened with the cost of having all this settled in the civil courts, they have buckled and have had to select him.

But all this has happened because of shoddy anti doping rules (again!). Because Dwain Chambers 'left' athletics he has not been subject to any out of competition testing over the past 4 years. Clearly they need to have an eligibility rule that requires you to be a registered (and tested) athlete for a set time before you can compete in any championships.

 

[simonali]

Sports Illustrated in the US are covering the story of a jailed father who doped his 12 year old with steroids and HGH for speed skating!

How did he do that if he was in jail?

 

[Dave5N]

Huh? Isn't selection the prerogative of the selectors?

In cycling it is I believe a judgment call, just as in football. How can that be challenged in court?

Or was/is athletics foolish enought to say 'you run X race faster, you're guaranteed in'?

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Thanks for clarifying. Does this mean that I can dope myself to the eyeballs and then turn up and race and if I win I get to go to the olympics? That does seem ridiculous.