Frank Schleck positive test

[PaulB]

The hopes some are holding out that this got into Schleck's body somehow accidentally is plain daft. On the BBC documentary last night about the scandal surrounding Ben Johnson's drug forays in the 80s, a drug tester from the clinic being used at the time said that his assistant called him to tell him that all 50 urine samples he was testing were showing pure water! This was urine taken from athletes at that year's Olympics so how is it that their urine showed nothing but water? Diuretics! It's use was endemic amongst athletes of the day and the diuretic 'medication' was required in order to dilute the steroids and growth hormones they were taking when a urine test was required.

There's no way out for Schleck on this. To assume he has a credible defence is just naive.

 

[srw]

The boss of Shack goes to the team doctor and asks if they can slip something to Frank in his food or drink, nothing dangerous, just a masking agent that's easily detectable, then when he's tested positive we can wash our hands of him and save a couple of million.
Might not be that far fetched?

Conspiracy theories are usually wrong. It's far more likely that Schleck, seeing the bad press about how he's completely useless this year without his brother, takes a risk too far at the back end of last week, in the hope that he'll be able to pull something out of the hat today or tomorrow.

 

[PaulB]

The boss of Shack goes to the team doctor and asks if they can slip something to Frank in his food or drink, nothing dangerous, just a masking agent that's easily detectable, then when he's tested positive we can wash our hands of him and save a couple of million.
Might not be that far fetched?

A team doctor is asked to put his career on the line by committing a criminal act that will see him struck off the medical register! Far fetched? That's an understatement if ever I read one.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Maybe he got a spam e mail: 'Viagra, EPO cheapest on net! Order today, rescue your tour and give the mrs the time of her life when you get to Paris!'

 

[raindog]

A team doctor is asked to put his career on the line by committing a criminal act that will see him struck off the medical register! Far fetched? That's an understatement if ever I read one.

OK, fair enough - he's guilty, but I've got to have something to think about while I'm out riding.

 

[andylaw79]

One things for certain, Andy's going to be looking over his shoulder a lot more than usual!

 

[biking_fox]

Threre are innocent explanations for diruretics.

The case echoes the 2011 Tour when Alexandr Kolobnev tested positive for a banned diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide) following stage 5. He later suspended himself from his Katusha tea but was later cleared by CAS and hired back by Katusha.

from Cycling News http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci...l-finding-for-frank-schleck-at-tour-de-france

I somehow doubt it, but until the dust has settled we won't know. poisoning seems even more unlikely!

 

[zizou]

Disappointing, particularly when cycling over the last few weeks has so much widespread and positive press coverage in the UK. Now it is back to doping

Being realistic every cycle fan knows there has (and still is) problems with doping in cycling but at least cycling does something about it unlike the likes of football and tennis where the problems are likely to be even more widespread than is the case in cycling these days. The sort of excuses that would make you roll your eyes when a cyclist gets caught - like sleeping in a magic egg or eating dodgy bits of beef are excuses which are totally accepted in these sports without any further investigation or suspicion arising!

 

[Nearly there]

Of course Fat Frank needed it to lose weight

 

[Chuffy]

Could a bottle of water, handed to a rider near the top of a summit and then either part drunk or poured over the riders head, be responsible? The evidence would be discarded in the verge.

Exactly the same excuse as Pedro Delgado tried when he got caught with probenicid (also a masking agent) in his sample. He blamed sabotage by someone at the roadside.

He was talking bollocks as well. If Schleck F is going to try that one, he'd better have some proof. He also needs to look up the phrase 'strict liability'.

 

[festival]

Listening to comments from Schleck's team mates before todays stage.
While I wouldn't expect them to open up to the interviewer, I was disappointed to hear the usual " Frank's a good guy and its all a big mistake" kind of comments.
Probably not a surprise but they have had time to think it over and it would have been nice to have a more thoughtful answer or a simple no comment.

 

[fatblokish]

He was talking bollocks as well. .

As well as what/whom?

 

[Smokin Joe]

It's the fall back defence that's been used over the decades. Deny any knowledge, claim it must have been a doctored drink, in the cough mixture you got from the chemist, a natural product of your body, etc etc etc. All the usual old bollocks trotted out by who has been caught doping.

 

[SoloCyclist]

My favourite was the 'Columbian Throat Lozenge'.

 

[Chuffy]

As well as what/whom?

Schleck F and Delgado. Both talking cobblers.