posted Jul 23, 2008

Whilst I completely agree with kicking drugs out of cycling I also have to say that we are a bit too quick in sending these guys to jail, we have to wait till the B results come, you know, mistakes can be made!

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posted Jul 23, 2008

"Duenas cheated and let people down. He didn't steal anything."

If i play draughts with my bro and I knock one of his pieces off the board when he's not looking, then yes it is just a game.

But if someone dopes and as as a result wins a stage/midway bonus or acts as an accomplice by helping a team-mate to do so then he has stolen through fraud, and as Geraint says Duenas has broken French law, so apply the law.

I am sick and tired of the mealy-mouthed attitude to drugs - the biggest scourge of professional sport - which sadly seems to include some people on here.

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posted Jul 23, 2008

Good article, Geraint.

I think it's good for all of us to hear riders taking a public stance on this issue.

I've been thinking about the swift actions of sponsors in pulling their sponsorship, and the more I consider it, I have decided it is the right course. I know it affects all of the employees, not simply the guilty party, but I also feel that those who feel the need to taint the sport need to recognise the consequences of their ill-advised actions. Who knows, perhaps if it keeps happening, it will act as a bit of a deterrent in future.

I'm glad the training is going well. Good luck in Beijing - I'll be rooting for you and the whole cycling team.

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posted Jul 23, 2008

ok Geraint - why are you cycling for a second tier team with respect to internal testing procedures? Also, when are other sponsors going to wake up to this fact instead of blindly letting this anomoly continue?

Why won't Barloworld stay in the sport and initiate such a programme? Will the management company of your team use the balance of funding left by Barloworld to initiate such a programme? Would you even accept a pay-cut to continue in the team knowing that you have a respected internal testing programme?

I would also be interested to know why Rob Hayles is not in the Olympic selection (or has that changed)? Seems a bit odd to me. He obviously has form - British National champion and all. Personally, i think it is all to do with the fact that Brailsford doesn't want the risk of a failed health check by anyone, and if you run up around 50% RBCC then you are for the chop, innocent or otherwise.

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posted Jul 24, 2008

Im_partial - TDF tops says
"I've been thinking about the swift actions of sponsors in pulling their sponsorship, and the more I consider it, I have decided it is the right course."

omgidbi says
"Why won't Barloworld stay in the sport and initiate [internal testing] programme?"

I'm more inclined to take the latter view.

I think it reflects *VERY BADLY* on Barloworld to take back their money and leave the sport.
They may say that the negative publicity impacts badly upon them - but my view is that as a) a responsible sponsor, and b)as a posnsor investing a lot of money and expecting to get the right return (i.e. good publicity) on it, they should have proactively done something about it, rather than just running after the event.

It's not good enough to just give the team a chunk of sponsorship money with expectation that the team should get results because it's sponsorship not a charitable donation, then run when there's a hint of drug controversy.

Barloworld should have demanded, as part of their sponsorship agreement, that the team implemented not just an internal testing program, but an *external* independently moitored one, as per ACE or Damsgaard.

This would have protected their sponsorship investment and ought to be regarded as a 'due dliigence' exercise - would Barloworld acquire a subsidiary company without checking-out that company and then allow it to run under the Barloworld brand-name without having people from head-office and outside accountants/auditors monitor it ?

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posted Jul 25, 2008

Geraint.

Dueñas is now implicating the Barloworld team doctors in his official statements. It is just his statement, but with reference to teams with and without internal testing programmes, you have to sceptical about the medical provision, or ambition even, in those teams without a rigourous in-house procedure.

also, reading about your efforts on deposing brad for the pursuit. keep up the good work.

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posted Jul 28, 2008

I was really disappointed when Duenas et al got busted, because I hoped and prayed that for once, we might get a clean race - naive, I know, but I hoped. However, they got caught. Fro what I understand, everyone was screened pre race, and anomalies where target - intelligence led testing, which seems like progress.

I also like what I see at Garmin, CSC & Columbia & I think there is something to be said for the comment andy_wrx made about due diligence. Barloworld went into this deal with their eyes open & with full knowledge of the chequered history the sport has. Perhaps if sponsors insist on externally verified testing, we’ll finally make some real progress.

I couldn’t make my mind up about Chambers attempt to overturn his life Olympic ban – look what David Millar has done since he came back – he seems to have become a standard bearer for clean cycling in the last 2 years. If he had been banned for life, he wouldn’t have that opportunity & I believe what he (and others) is doing is good for the sport & perhaps more importantly, the image of the sport. However, I don’t think Chambers is cut from the same cloth as the philosopher king of the peloton.

On the jail sentence – the race was held under French jurisdiction. Fraud is punishable with upto 5 years. Cheating = Fraud. What these guys have done is illegal, in the traditional sense of that word – not simply “breaking the rules”. It is exactly the same as throwing a footie game, a horse race or taking a dive in the ring. They all knew that, but they did it anyway.

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posted Jul 30, 2008

No Chambers has made a full disclosure, whilst Millar persists in his fairytale three injections of EPO??????? Whoever heard of such a short course of EPO apart from the more recent CERA.

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posted Jul 30, 2008

Hey, Geraint, without wanting to hex you, any chance of you coming down Ninian Park this season to show of the Olympic medals you are bound to win. You could even do the Ayatollah on the podium if you have the johona's.

Good luck, by the way.

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posted Aug 18, 2008

Fantastic Performance today. It was incredible Smashed your own world record... Unreal

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