Thursday Roundup
News
Velonews/AFP is reporting WADA is dropping out of the Biological Passport program, and is blaming the suit by the UCI.
Rumors we've heard suggest the program was having financial problems anyway, so this may be just a politically convenient way of dropping the ball.
The CyclingNews says that British cycling performance director Dave Brailsford, and teammate Bradley Wiggens, both back Robert Hayles, who was determined to have slightly elevated hematocrit levels. Hayles denies any PED use. It seems a sad novelty during these dark days to have a cycling federation actually support an accused rider:Once he heard the news, he said that he approached the rider to ascertain what happened. "I spoke to Rob," he told Cyclingnews. "I looked him in the eyes and asked him straight up. He is absolutely devastated, he is in bits, as you would expect. But there is a process to go through and I have confidence in that process. I am sure in a few days time we will all be sitting there saying, 'okay, this has been resolved.'
Having confidence in "the process" can be a dangerous and disillusioning leap of faith.
In other CyclingNews it is repoted that the CAS made a complicated "compromise" decision of sorts in the case of Italian rider Michele Scarponi:After a ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Michele Scarponi's suspension was reduced and the Italian rider will now be eligible to race again as of August 1, 2008, instead of the original date of November 15. The CAS actually lengthened his ban from 18 to 21 months, but took into consideration two "periods of inactivity" by the rider, thus moving up the date of his potential return.
The CyclingNews letters this week cover wide ranging subjects from Cadel Evans, to anger over Rock Racing's exclusion from the Tour of Georgia.
Blogs
Racejunkie conveniently provides ten guidelines that may give us a glimpse into just how it is determined who will be accused of doping and how to get out of it if you are, who will race again if they are accused of doping, and who will not. It's a must read.
The Car Whisperer is anxious about the new racing season and is having disturbing dreams, one featuring a disheveled Floyd Landis, with a gun. Not to worry, Whisperer, he's a fully qualified, self-proclaimed redneck, so there will be none of that "Landis shot at me and missed" stuff.
10 comments:
Well, A June or July decision should have taken his suspension and saved Millions. This whole thing sucks.
And now CAS reduces Scarponi's suspension. Too bad that it's too late for Floyd!
Talk about the Man beating a man down!
Oops:
Well, A June or July decision...Floyd should have taken his suspension and saved Millions. This whole thing sucks.
That was McQuaid's message to Floyd way back in '06, regardless of innocence or guilt.
It seems to be WADA’s stance that an AAF is, in, and of itself, proof of doping. IMHO, the adjudication system, flawed and lopsided as it is, is meant as window dressing so that WADA has the appearance of looking reasonable to the entities that provide funding for its existence.
USADA is much the same, but is further armed with a near perfect conviction record to dissuade athletes from contesting an AAF, regardless of innocence or guilt.
And I'll bet, if CAS does find for Landis, that ASO will tell them to jump in a lake regarding giving back the 2006 title to Landis, let alone the prize money.
If Landis wins, can/will he sue USADA for lost funds?
Unless you are offering some outrageous odds as an incentive, it would be foolish to waste any money betting against you
Honor cannot be bought nor sold for any amount...it must be fought for...at any cost. Thanks Floyd.
I remember when Wiggins cried about nearly missing the time cut on S17.
Sorry, JDB, no odds!
mjl,
You could have easily stopped at, "I remember when Wiggins cried". Although that's fairly generic, it sums things up.
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