Sinkewitz spills the beans

[mondobongo]

In a move that I expect we may see a lot of over the coming months, Patrik Sinkewitz has admitted to doping for a number of years in part he is hoping to get a reduced ban rather than 2 years.

Sinkewitz Doping

 

[Keith Oates]

He has confessed that he took 'dope' so he has to pay the same penalty as any one else IMO, regardless of what he says to the courts or the press. If he gets a reduced sentence it makes a mockery of what the UCI and others are trying to achieve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Steve Austin]

I'm in two minds about this. Its great that he has confessed to it, as it means that he isn't playing the silly game where Riders dispute the authorities, and we end up with these silly court room farces.
I'm not sure if we should give riders reduced bans for confessing, but i would rather riders admitted what they had been doing rather than 'pretending' they are wholly innocent, when its bloody obvious they're not.

I think the problem is, we want to stop the drug use, and want to punish riders for using illegal substances/practices but we want them to confess to. I don't think these two issues go together

I admire Sinkewitz for confessing, and for that he should be commended. Should still get banned though

 

[mickle]

They should have an off season amnesty followed by the introduction of lifetime bans.

If any historical evidence of doping is discovered which wasnt admitted to or otherwise brought to light during the amnesty- lifetime ban.

A line needs to be drawn.

 

[mondobongo]

I agree Mickle an Amnesty would be the way to go, lets get it all out in the open done and dusted. We know its gone on, we might not like it undoubtedly some of cycling's heroes will not be innocent.

 

[romeo]

I think it should be 4 years for a general positive test
2 years if they come clean and explain where they got it and who was supplying them
6 months if they do a zabel and confess to stuff that happened in the past.


I dont think Sinkewitz is being manipulative, he did the decent thing when his A sample came up positve for Testosterone and didnt request a Bsample test. If he can play his part now and spill the beans he might be able to help break the omerta and change the status quo. I think generally most of the riders would prefer to not dope and ride 1mph slower across the board but when youve got the top boys winning repeated grand tours through excessive blood manipulation the lesser riders feel they need to do something extra to be competeteive

 

[Tetedelacourse]

I agree with that Romeo, and with your weighted punishments.

The trouble with an amnesty is what do you do with the ones who have been caught to date? It's not parity for, eg, Sinkewitz if he's banned for 2 years and then his mates come clean during an amnesty and get off scot-free. Plus what about the riders who are riding clean (yes both of them!)? Not justice in their eyes.

 

[John the Monkey]

According to this story on BikeRadar, his confession has caused Deutsche Telekom to reconsider their sponsorship of the T-Mobile team.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

I don't understand why this is news now or why T-Mobile are reconsidering now. No new information has come to light since he was caught, when they initially said they'd rethink their sponsorship strategy. At that point, they said they had found a way to remain in the sport. Nothing has changed, so why rethink now? In fact, if anything it's better now because a) water has passed under the bridge since then and part of PS' confession describes how all team doping activity stopped after the 2006 tour.

I smell a rat!

 

[col]

I agree with that Romeo, and with your weighted punishments.

The trouble with an amnesty is what do you do with the ones who have been caught to date? It's not parity for, eg, Sinkewitz if he's banned for 2 years and then his mates come clean during an amnesty and get off scot-free. Plus what about the riders who are riding clean (yes both of them!)? Not justice in their eyes.

What about complete pardons for people already banned,who are still competative,and the amnesty to work at the same time,but with conditions.Get a completely fresh start to the dope and drug farce,which is making a joke of competition,and if anyone tries to cheat in any small way,its a lifetime ban instantly.

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

I think, and this may just take a while to get out as I have had a few beers after a good few weeks without, and am taking it rather poorly.

I think that doping should be treated as a illness / psycological condition in cycling, and the riders helped go clean rather than punished.

(in my currently rose tinted world) the UCI or WADA or some such body should create an ex-dope team, purely for riders who had sought help to get off the drugs. To get a place on the team the rider must have previously doped, and then gone officially clean, and accepted some kind of help, a bit like AA, except it would be public knowlege Dopeaholics Not-anonymous of something a little more catchy and less patronizing.

The ex-doper team would be allowed to compete in all the major races and its members not only rigourously tested, but made to keep going to Dopeaholics Not-anonymous.

They could be a beacon of hope, riding in unbranded gear so that there is no push for them to bring in the corporate bucks by winning.

Maybe if riders could be given a safe haven like this, and be treated as victims rather than criminals, we would see more come forward. If the riders can slowly be convinced that doping is done because the rider is ill rather than just a cheating scumbag maybe other riders will be inclined to try and 'help' their friends stop doping, rather than condemn them to career ending bans.

 

[mondobongo]

You know that is a pretty good idea, the only bugbear is if it was implemented how would the other teams react if Team Reformed started to win things.
Would they accept it on the basis that its promoting clean cycling and helping the sport or scream foul from the rooftops.

Jacomus just a suggestion rather than hiding your idea in the Sinkewitz thread where it may be missed by some what about starting a new thread with your idea.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

I think, and this may just take a while to get out as I have had a few beers after a good few weeks without, and am taking it rather poorly.

I think that doping should be treated as a illness / psycological condition in cycling, and the riders helped go clean rather than punished.

(in my currently rose tinted world) the UCI or WADA or some such body should create an ex-dope team, purely for riders who had sought help to get off the drugs. To get a place on the team the rider must have previously doped, and then gone officially clean, and accepted some kind of help, a bit like AA, except it would be public knowlege Dopeaholics Not-anonymous of something a little more catchy and less patronizing.

The ex-doper team would be allowed to compete in all the major races and its members not only rigourously tested, but made to keep going to Dopeaholics Not-anonymous.

They could be a beacon of hope, riding in unbranded gear so that there is no push for them to bring in the corporate bucks by winning.

Maybe if riders could be given a safe haven like this, and be treated as victims rather than criminals, we would see more come forward. If the riders can slowly be convinced that doping is done because the rider is ill rather than just a cheating scumbag maybe other riders will be inclined to try and 'help' their friends stop doping, rather than condemn them to career ending bans.

A novel approach but where to begin! This is wrong on so many levels. Maybe it should be moved to Soapbox, never mind a thread in its own right!

I will respond fully tomorrow - hometime now.

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

A novel approach but where to begin! This is wrong on so many levels. Maybe it should be moved to Soapbox, never mind a thread in its own right!

I will respond fully tomorrow - hometime now.

See
http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=5329