posted Jul 30, 2007

While cleaning up the sport is correct and admirable, surely David Miller's credibility as a commentator is questionable!

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posted Jul 30, 2007

I love the Tour de France but it in the long term it may prove impossible to control the doping problems. I was drug-tested yesterday and was pleased to note numerous doping officials present on both days, but theirs is a thankless task often performed to the unwanted accompanyment of unpleasant or abusive behaviour on the part of the subject.

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posted Jul 30, 2007

I can't help feeling we would all do well to pause a second and think "which sport is at the forefront of the war on drugs?" Easy answer. So should we now persecute the sport of cycling, or commend it in its efforts - however balated they may be - and hold it up as an example to all the other performance orientated sports out there, that do not test their participants regularly and publicly, both in and out of competition?

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posted Jul 30, 2007

It is a crying shame that after such a glorious start to the tour with two brilliant days here in England with such support for the Tour that once again the drugs issue was to ruin all of the earlier enthusiasm. Perhaps we needed to be told by the cycling media before the Tour started not to expect a miracle of a drug-free 3 weeks, despite all the anti-doping hype and knowing the history of the race. The older ones of us will remember that even in the days of Tommy Simpson, artificial stimulants were being used. It is essential to try to clean up the sport and it is good that perhaps finally the penny is beginning to drop that cheats will ultimately get caught. Bans should therefore be for life, no ifs or buts.

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posted Jul 30, 2007

The Tour has had bad years in the past. This year's tour should be remembered for the positives - a great start in London, well placed and competitive British cyclists, a number of exciting stage wins. All the reporting has been negative - the BBC coverage on the morning of the final stage only commented on the news of the past week - there was almost no mention of the yellow jersey, how far ahead he was or the results of the previous day's time trial.

The Festina affair a number of years ago was much worse than the problems faced this year - it showed doping was endorsed by the teams and the riders protested about the external intervention - this year it looks like cycling is a sport trying to get rid of doping cheats with full support of the cyclists. Focus on the positives - the riders have signed up to a charter to support clean riding, the riders have all criticised the cheats and want the sport to be clean.

The Tour is still a great event - let's focus on the positive side. There are lots of sports with problems but how many sports can get over one million people in London to watch the opening stages?

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posted Jul 30, 2007

what short memories people have. just this year two players were suspended for doping and what of the alleged ball fixing scandal (which turned out to be a corrupt umpire scandal instead).

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posted Jul 30, 2007

absolutely. lets all watch football which btw doesn't comply with the wada codes, allows TUE's for exclusively banned substances and doesn't allow CAS oversight. I wonder when German television is going to stop showing international football matches. The solution for cycling seems to be stop testing so much. After all if the tests are so lax that no one is getting caught then there isn't a problem.

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posted Jul 31, 2007

Why are we saying this is a tainted tour? The cheats got caught and thrown out! The testing policy worked! A clean non drug taking man won the race, after a brilliant performance in the mountains. He was so good he was only three minutes behind a drug taking cheat. Well done to all finishers of the tour, well done the drug controll for catching the cheats. A wonderful Tour de France

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Can I have your address, because I would like to sell you some double glazing?



Are you completely unfamiliar with Contador's role in the Fuentes saga? His name removed from the original list of Fuentes' clients? Turning "crown witness" for immunity etc etc. What's my evidence? You should ask the multiple newspapers in different countries that have reported this first, knowing that I can't get my hands on "evidence". But I have seen a photocopy of the list with his name on it. And the German professor of sports ethics who called Contador's win (I translate) "The biggest swindle in sporting history" says he has the document in his briefcase, ask him!

People have no problem assuming Rasmussen was doped because he lied about his training location and skipped drug tests. How can anyone conclude from the witnessing in exchange for immunity and the disappearing name on the list that Contador is innocent?

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posted Aug 1, 2007

Sorry Pom7848. But get the facts straight. Rasmussen didnt miss 4 tests.

He has 2 warnings from 2 different organisations.
They dont add up, though there is a rulechange upcomming in november, so next year they can.

One warning is from march 2006. For beeing late which giving uci his 3 month schedule.

From what i read the other warnings, is for the period in june not beeing where he had sceduled this year around june 2007.
1+1 each organisation around same date.

He is eledged beeing seen in Italy by 1 person. Its not proven yet if he was there or not.
(From what i heard The reporter said he saw Rasmussen training in heavy rain around 13-14. june in the dolomites, and from what I heard it didnt rain there on the given dates.)

He got kicked out of his team, cause of preassure from ASO+Rabobank(the sponsor) + the belived sighting in Italy.

Regards
Wezron

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posted Aug 5, 2007

I think David Millar is a great spokesman for the sport of cycling. He's eloquent, truthful, charismatic and thoughtful. He's experienced both sides of the drug debate, he's served his time and now he's committed to making a change to the sport he loves. Good on him.

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