Another +ve

[doyler78]

Oddly, I read that link from the beeb with a positive take.... from a purely cycling perspective. I mean, cycling is getting to grips with the problem when clearly it's not just a problem in cycling. The fact that athletes are doping, and there is purportedly collusion with testing agencies, is not good news but maybe we could say that cycling is ahead of any other sport in dealing with it by more regular testing and clear action on positives.

It crossed my mind that some men's tennis matches are pretty impressive feats of endurance. Can anyone remember who's name was mentioned during Operation Puerto? I wonder what, say, the LTA's testing policy is like?

I see what you mean in so far as it helps to lift the lid on the other sports which are not taking action however with the possible failings in the testing facilities and the alleged collusion between personnel in these facilities and the dopers then it really is bad news for all sports, including cycling. There is no point in having more regular testing, etc if the samples are not properly analysed or are tampered with by personnel in these facilities

I think cycling has been forced to take the iniative because it could no longer allow its image to be damaged more and more each year and that will bring benefits later on as we will hopefully show other sports the way but until people see tangible signs that the tide is turning then we will always remain the bad guys.

 

[yello]

There is no point in having more regular testing, etc if the samples are not properly analysed or are tampered with by personnel in these facilities

Agreed. I'm thinking the percentage game. A doping athlete is tested more often by a number of labs then hopefully there's a chance they'll get caught at some point! Oh, I live in an optimistic and naive world!!

 

[Tetedelacourse]

And I will repeat, Team Columbia and Garmin-Chipotle have an independently administered intensive testing programme run by http://www.agencyforcyclingethics.com/. If you know of any evidence that Holm or Aldag or anyone else has found a way of subverting these tests (which include a full blood passport and 26 tests a year minimum for each rider) then please let us know how. Just saying 'he used to dope' is no evidence at all because just about everyone of that generation used to dope.

So Michael and Tete, why not attack the people who are doing nothing, not the people who are doing about as much as they could?

FM you seem to be of the opinion that there is no benefit to sprinters in doping. That is patently not the case as I tried to outline above. You also seem to think that it is not valid to be suspicious of a rider who in his 2nd tdf picks up 4 stage wins, despite the current climate of unbelievable rides turning out to be just that. Here we disagree.

I don't hold the same opinion as Michael as far as DS with tainted histories goes - I think that was then, this is now and I think the same of Millar - but I absolutely agree with him that it sounded ridiculous of Imlach to state that Cavendish was categorically clean when he simply did not know that to be a fact (lag in test results being released).

Also if you've read any of my other posts on the subject of doping, you'd see that I believe it to be a team responsibility as well as a rider responsibility, and I have attacked those who are doing nothing, frequently.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

And that's it from me, because this is just starting to go round in circles.

Right-o