Team RadioShack to appear before UCI Disciplinary Commission

[yello]

Press release on the UCI website

The International Cycling Union (UCI) wishes to announce that disciplinary proceedings will be opened against Team RadioShack, for breaching the regulations governing riders’ clothing. The UCI regrets that an initiative for a cause as worthy as the fight against cancer was not coordinated beforehand with the Commissaires and organisers of the event. This could have been done whilst remaining within the rules.

 

[rich p]

I heard that the penalty was that Armstrong won't be allowed to compete in the TdF again and that McQuaid has threatened to give him the $120k back

 

[yello]

From CyclingNews....

During the stage itself, RadioShack manager Johan Bruyneel vented his frustration via Twitter, fuming “Ok people! Now it’s official! To be a race commissar you don’t need brains but only know the rules! Their motto: ‘c’est le reglement!’”

Well, that will have endeared him to the Commissionaires won't it?

 

[John the Monkey]

Hmm, why on earth didn't your riders sign in wearing the Black jerseys then, Johan?

A shabby episode that is doing neither side very much credit, I'm afraid.

 

[John the Monkey]

Yello, I think they're deliberately stoking up a phoney war here.

The UCI are caught in a cleft stick, if they say "Oh well, it's for a good cause, we'll let you off" people will accuse them of favouring Armstrong & point knowingly to the payments of latter years. If they proceed with action against The Shack they look like petty oafs who LOVE CANCER.

Ahem. If the story that Radioshack signed in wearing standard kit, and then got changed is true, I think the picture is of a publicity stunt with little thought given to the impression it would give of the tour's officials, or the UCI.

 

[yello]

If the story that Radioshack signed in wearing standard kit, and then got changed is true, I think the picture is of a publicity stunt with little thought given to the impression it would give of the tour's officials, or the UCI.

Personally, I have little doubt it was a publicity stunt. I also think it takes a stupefying belief in your own importance to use a major event like that. It"s massively disrespectful imo and, for that alone, deserves punishment. To UCI's credit (and that's not something you'll read from me very often!) they've tried to head off any 'love cancer' criticisms by announcing that they'll donate any fines to the Swiss anti-cancer league.

 

[Chuffy]

Ahem. If the story that Radioshack signed in wearing standard kit, and then got changed is true, I think the picture is of a publicity stunt with little thought given to the impression it would give of the tour's officials, or the UCI.

Or of Team Shack, half nekkid at the side of the road and looking very grumpy about it.

My best guess is that they thought that no-one would challenge them, even though they were well aware that they were breaking the, extremely well known, rule. Perhaps they assumed that they wouldn't have been granted permission if they had asked? What they hadn't counted on was the commissionaires not being prepared to play ball. Shabby behaviour from Team Shack and credit to the commissionaires for not being bullied into submission.

As I've said elsewhere, I'm absolutely certain that what actually happened wasn't what the Shackstrong PR team had intended. Anything said by them to the contrary is just an attempt to salvage some dignity from the sorry mess. You don't deliberately set up a PR stunt that makes your clients look stupid.

* - just for the peace of mind of anyone who thinks that I automatically froth bile at the mere mention of that cheating son-of-a-bitch Armstrong, I don't have a problem with the idea of the team wearing Livestrong kit on the final stage. That's a perfectly reasonable PR stunt, gets them a shedload of publicity shots for future campaigns plus some airtime down the Champs. Nothing dishonorable about that, the embarrassment comes from Shack assuming that they could do what they liked without bothering to do the polite thing and check it out first.

 

[yello]

Nothing dishonorable about that, the embarrassment comes from Shack assuming that they could do what they liked without bothering to do the polite thing and check it out first.

That about sums up my position on it too. How difficult would it have been to have asked?

 

[Noodley]

How difficult would it have been to have asked?

For Lance? Very.

 

[Chuffy]

For Lance? Very.

How could anyone turn him down? Bitches must love cancer or something.

 

[Ashtrayhead]

As much as I've been an admirer of Lance Armstrong in the past, I did find this episode to be embarrassing and a bit arrogant of him to try and upstage the winner of the Tour and steal the limelight. I'm sure he wouldn't have liked it if it had been done by anyone else during one of his seven wins.

 

[johnnyh]

There would have been more occasional/casual viewers watching than cycling experts/purists, along with many first timers, and the stunt has clearly worked by giving Livestrong and Radioshack free air time and continued column inches.

Heck, even Here on the web it is getting space.

Fine them what they like, you think Radioshack won't put a positive spin on the donation aspect, and the bulk of the world will lap it up.

Like it or not, the stunt worked

 

[gb155]

BUT you have gotta admit that kit, looked very sweet

 

[yello]

Like it or not, the stunt worked

Would you still think so if Radioshack the company removed their sponsorship from the cycling team for bringing their name into disrepute?

 

[johnnyh]

Would you still think so if Radioshack the company removed their sponsorship from the cycling team for bringing their name into disrepute?

You seriously think that will happen?

First tdf and a shed load of publicity created by a Texan hero for an American retailer. They couldn't buy that air time, and they have the right people to put a positive spin on it as needs be.

Was a sweet looking kit too!