IMAZ, are you a member of the prosecution? Damn man, you've got me thinking any athlete who ever looked at a bike has been doping themselves up!! What about Chris Hoy? If you are a salesman I hope I never meet you, I'd buy a bottle of air from you..........
The majority are dirty, do you honestly think anyone could ride the TDF and get near the front without outside help? There was a French rider who was famous for refusing to take anything, of course he wasnt successful but that should tell you how dirty the sport is.
That was Charly Mottet. He was very successful considering. http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/palmares/mottet_charly.php
The late Jacques Anquetil, the man who said: "You do not win the Tour de France on mineral water alone," a brusque acknowledgement of behaviour that had been accepted since the earliest days of the sport. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/feb/06/lance-armstrong-federal-investigation Half a century ago, Anquetil rode in an era when riders took all sorts of stuff including amphetamines, cocaine and heroin, to make them go faster and increase their resistance to the terrible pain of hauling themselves up the mountains for day after day. History accepts those circumstances, to the extent that no one would wish to see the record books retrospectively altered to expunge the records of men who are universally regarded as heroes of a more romantic age. It could be that Armstrong, who competed at a time when the use of steroids and human growth hormone and the technique of blood doping were at their most widespread, may become the subject of a similar moral amnesty in the mind of future generations: whether he did it or not (and he has always emphatically denied the accusations and never tested positive), pretty well everyone else was at it, those were the times he lived in, and his achievements were immense by any standards, never mind by those of a man who had recovered from a near-fatal brush with cancer. But it is not quite as simple as that. Doping was not outlawed in Anquetil's time; he was breaking no rules. Since the death of Tom Simpson in 1967, attitudes have changed and hardened, particularly since the introduction of sophisticated doping products whose long-term effects could only be guessed at. The isolated death of a man fuddled with amphetamine and alcohol and over-exerting himself in furnace-like conditions on the exposed slopes of the Mont Ventoux was one thing. A group of young riders dying in their sleep 20 years ago, their hearts no longer able to pump their artificially thickened blood through their veins, is quite another. Tolerance of the old ways belongs to the old days; it has no place in the present, and a serial offender such as Riccardo Riccò is held in general contempt. Nor, despite the remarkable story of his recovery from surgery to brain, lungs and testicles, did Armstrong's personal behaviour encourage the sort of sympathy so freely granted to Anquetil and the men with whom he raced. The Texan's persecution of those who campaigned against doping is a permanent stain on his reputation. "Don't spit in the soup" is a motto that has long outlived any conceivable justification.
Carl Lewis tested positive for stimulants 3 times in 1988 before the Olympics. Got off on the claim that it was 'inadvertent'. For legal and blood pressure reasons I will not comment further.
If you read my post properly you'll see i'm complementing IMAZ, not putting him down. He was really convincing with his arguments, and has me siding with him now about this debate. Don't be so quick to read posts next time and you might understand them better flyer....
I wasnt disagreeing with you, I was just backing the point up with more info. Not sure where you got the putting the down bit from.
Florence Griffiths joiner (flo jo) was the female equivalent of usain bolt back in the late 80s-90s, won everything and never failed a drugs test, yet she died of steroid abuse. As imaz said the governing bodies keep all samples for 7-10 years as testing gets better more chance of discovering if someone was taking drugs in the past. Personally I think they should forget that as it destroys any competition years after the event. If someone was able to pass a test at the time that should be it. As for cycling the sport is ruined as nearly all the greats have now failed drugs test. Let's just hope wiggins doesn't fall from grace in the future. But I you watch what those guys do I say let the mad bastards take what they want. Anyone who cycles over mountains should be allowed to take what they like.
Something to this, let's have two versions of everything, one 'clean', one 'chemically enhanced'. Even better a third version, where everyone competes while on recreational treats.
Exactly, if some no hoper from L2 fails a test, he will be banned for life but if it was Rooney, the FA would refuse to name the player as "it would not be in the public interest". Look at baseball as well, everyone knew the likes of Mark Mcguire were on steroids for years, it was laughable just at how the authorities refused to do anything. Im really shocked that a US group has gone against Armstrong, they guy in charge must really hate him.
The problem with Armstrong was that apart from the doping he was an unpleasant individual and well known as a bully in the peleton. Quite possibly a doper but a great rider and a genuinely nice guy: Freddy Maertens legendary for 56 wins in a single season and 14 stage wins in a single Vuelta! The interview gives a very good insight into how things really are in professional cycling>: http://bikeraceinfo.com/oralhistory/freddy-maertens.html
Sport - drug combinations to be tested: Crown green bowling on speed Darts on acid Rowing on the extremely strong Thai smoke I had in Koh Samui once. Sat motionless through Dances With Wolves then needed a lie down. Dressage on ecstasy ( horse consumption optional) ...just realized horse could be misconstrued. I meant the animal could also have some.
Then I apologise flyer, and perhaps should take a bit of my own advice! The way you put the question made me think it, but never let it be said I'm too proud to admit when I'm wrong..... ;-)
Did anyone see that article in the telegraph recently about the 'Ben Johnson' 100m olympic final? Now after all these years only 2 of the 8 entrants are accepted as 'clean' the 6 others incl linford Christie are all convicted dopers It's not just cycling although I think it's the worst sport for it. I don't think wiggins is a doper but there's a massive gap between him and Evans this year, almost as if Evans was 'clean' this tour
I'm loathe to get involved in a non-footie debate but as a keen cyclist myself I don't we should just accept crap like this without comment. The reason that Wiggins and other track cyclists have finally been able to make the transition to success on the road is precisely because the authorities have cracked down on the doping so spectacularly. The performances of today's winners are well below the ludicrous 'achievements' of the likes of Armstrong and Indurain as a result. I'm well aware that professional road cycling has been forever associated with chemical enhancements right back to its earliest days but I for one truly believe that massive strides have been made over the last 5-10 years and the sport is now as clean as it is ever likely to be. Wiggins is a national hero and does not deserve this kind of slander without some firm evidence to back it up. Indeed, if you were brave enough to publish your comments more widely it might well spark a legal suit. You should be ashamed Imaz.
On a slightly different note, how is it the Americans can take away a French award which is basically what winning the TDF is?
As a wee bit of a cyclist myself, I would also like to think the sport has cleaned up a lot since the bad old days. Although, having said that, one of my favorite cyclists, Nicolas Roche (predictable, I know) has just joined a new team Saxo Bank. Both the Saxo Director and Team leader (Contador) have been banned for taking drugs in the past. And now all the talk is why is Roche joining a 'drug' team? I don't think the association will ever go away. Absolutely phenomenal athletes who are looking for that extra 1% to get them over the line first. A real pity. In preparation for the Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford tomorrow morning (110km) I just might have a couple of pints of Guinness tonight to increase the iron load!! No blood transfusions or EPO needed here!!
