UCI and Paul Kimmage

[Bollo]

I bet the UCI are beginning to wish they'd not subpoenaed Kimmage now. I reckon they're on a hiding to nothing.

Withdraw the case and it'll be seen by many as fearful of facing 'the truth'. To go ahead but loose (in the current climate, definitely a possibility) only endorses the corruption view. They'd trumpet a win certainly but it'll be seen as a hollow victory and doesn't put them anywhere they're not already. They'll only be able to say that a court says Kimmage can't say those things, not that they aren't true.

Yep, I think their arrogance and hubris are very close finding them out. Of course, if the bang is big enough and the UCI do get found out, PK might have a case for counter-suing. Defamation, loss of earnings? I imagine something could stick.

 

[User169]

"Une patate chaude pour l’UCI"

From Hein, via RMC:

“I am happy that in the USADA report it says we never hid things under the table. It’s very important And I never said Armstrong never doped. What I said was that when Landis came along with his allegations, we’d never had a positive test for Armstrong“

http://www.rmcsport.fr/editorial/308560/affaire-armstrong-verbruggen-l-uci-n-a-rien-cache/​

 

[thom]

"Une patate chaude pour l’UCI"

From Hein, via RMC:

“I am happy that in the USADA report it says we never hid things under the table. It’s very important And I never said Armstrong never doped. What I said was that when Landis came along with his allegations, we’d never had a positive test for Armstrong“​

​

http://www.rmcsport.fr/editorial/308560/affaire-armstrong-verbruggen-l-uci-n-a-rien-cache/​

At the end of the day, it boils down to money for these characters. I wonder if Verbruggen is being paid by the UCI and how much he makes from related businesses.

 

[Hont]

Kimmage writes in the Oirish Independent. Has a go at Sean Kelly for finally acknowledging LA was up to no good

You know it's Sean Kelly when he opens with "Over the last number of months..."

 

[Bollo]

Kimmage writes in the Oirish Independent. Has a go at Sean Kelly for finally acknowledging LA was up to no good but says McQuaid (his managers father) is doing a good job cleaning up the sport.

Just read that. Calling Armstrong "Cancer Jesus" made snort tea.

 

[beastie]

Kimmage using the term "cancer" was the dummest thing he ever did. It alienated many, many people.

 

[Bollo]

Kimmage using the term "cancer" was the dummest thing he ever did. It alienated many, many people.

I don't know Paul Kimmage beyond reading "Rough Ride" a couple of times and following a few of his articles when they pop up in the cycling and mainstream press, so the following might be utter mince for all I know. But I'll have a stab.

I get the impression that PK isn't concerned with what people think of him. I also don't think he has a cause in the sense that there's an identified goal or any kind of long-term strategy to get there. He's not about making friends or consensus building. He's simply angry at all the lying and hypocrisy, sees no reason to hide it and has few inhibitions about expressing it. He's the old testament prophet railing against the sinfulness of the tribe, even as the tribe discuss how they might get the prophet to shut the **** up.

Personally, he's one of the few people in cycling that I'd genuinely like to meet. I wouldn't automatically expect to fall in love with the guy, but I get the idea that he'd be interesting company.

 

[yello]

KImmage is, love him or loathe him, needed. He's part of the system of checks and balances.

 

[thom]

KImmage is, love him or loathe him, needed. He's part of the system of checks and balances.

He seems to be the only confirmed chapter of this story that will end up in a court-room. And with a part that directly concerns the UCI's previous conduct, the irony that the UCI commenced it is delicious: Having done nothing to pursue the evidence against doping in pro-cycling, they effectively brought a corruption case against themselves.

 

[beastie]

Don't get me wrong. I like Kimmage's writing, and I hope he makes laughing stock of Hein,Pat and the UCI when he goes to court. Calling LA a "cancer" on the sport of cycling did not help his cause is all.

 

[yello]

Personally, I didn't think of it as anything other than an ill-chosen metaphor. I wasn't offended on behalf of others (not saying you're doing that btw beastie )

 

[thom]

Yeah I can understand that word can cause offence to a wider audience, in particular an audience that believed the LA story.
In a sense that's why it was apt - the cancer awareness advocate part of LA is a facade, particularly in light of the evidence of the extent of the doping program (maybe not quite comparable in extent to the DDR's program but certainly more commercially motivated). From his personal position, perhaps Kimmage was foolhardy to sound off as he did. But myself I'm not personally offended by that language.

 

[rich p]

you have to remember that at the time Kimmage was a lone voice in a wilderness of journalists who toed the line. That press conference kept the 'Armstrong is a doper ' in the headlines when it was fading away. It may have offended a few but I'll forgive him that for his persistence and bravery to face Armstrong off, as he did in that room.

 

[thom]

you have to remember that at the time Kimmage was a lone voice in a wilderness of journalists who toed the line.

toed/toad/towed ?

 

[rich p]

toed/toad/towed ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toe_the_line