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Letters to Cyclingnews - July 21, 2006, part 2
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Here's your chance to get more involved with Cyclingnews. Comments and criticism on current stories, races, coverage and anything cycling related are welcomed, even pictures if you wish. Letters should be brief (less than 300 words), with the sender clearly identified. They may be edited for space and clarity; please stick to one topic per letter. We will normally include your name and place of residence, but not your email address unless you specify in the message. Please email your correspondence to letters@cyclingnews.com. Another bumper letters page. Part one is here. Recent lettersLegalising doping |
Legalising doping
Legalizing or not legalizing doping, that is not the question.
As far as competing goes, the first and foremost rule (often not explicitely written) is that there is an equal chance for each contender to win.
Car races like Formula 1 or Nascar have lengthy technical rules so that:
- No one gets a too great advantage over the other competitors.
- To ensure a decent competition which will be interesting to follow for the
fans.
Having equal chances of winning, that is the question.
Cycling is trying do the same, control equal chances of winning, but it is far more difficult to control a human body compared to a mechanical device (being car, bike, canoe, bobsleigh, etc.).
The only way to ensure the fairness of the competition would be to monitor each competitor 24 hours per day and control everything which is taken by the competitors. A nearly impossible task.
As far as I can tell the war against doping will be endless. This war started quite long ago: the antique Olympic games were actually stopped because of cheating and doping scandals. If you think that doping will disappear in the near future, don't hold your breath...
The issue we face is then how do we make sure that the competition is fair.
I think this is a greater issue than permitting or not the use of some substances.
This hurts the sport world, not only cycling, because fans will never know if it was a well earned victory of not.
And I must admit that my interest for the athlete's feats has diminished a bit but in rewards I am more than happy with mines (however modest they are) since I know for sure they are "clean".
Yvan Dionne
Québec City, Canada
Friday, July 14, 2006
Legalising doping
Did you know that parents routinely allow their kids to take the drugs caffeine and alcohol (especially after attaining legal age)? My point is that some of the so called doping practices may not be harmful when done correctly.
Johnny is very confused and is going to make up his own mind regardless of what his parents say. Or maybe I'm wrong and everybody on Dr. Fuentes' list had negligent parents.
If there was a way to enforce drug policy effectively, that would be great. But that does seem likely at the moment, perhaps never.
David Hirsch
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Full transparency
If the UCI, racers and races are truly interested in cleaning up the sport, why would they not (as a first step) make public the riders' hematocrit values throughout the race? Publish the initial health check numbers and any subsequent testing values. These numbers should drop throughout the race, and except for a few medical exemptions should be below 50 at the start.
John Myrick
Clemmons, NC USA
Friday, July 14, 2006
Basso and DNA
Basso's lawyer says "DNA testing is traumatic and not 100% reliable." The phrase is completely ridiculous and alone almost assures me he is guilty (I sincerely hope I am wrong). I imagine it will be emotionally traumatic waiting for the results. If I were Basso and I really had nothing to do with this affair, I would have handed over blood or hair or whatever ASAP for DNA testing to clear my name. But if I was pretty sure that a bag of my frozen red cells was sitting on a shelf somewhere, I'd be a little tense. I can't wait to hear the clever excuses, which I imagine will be just as creative as the OJ Simpson trial.
J. Salmon
Lynchburg, VA
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Doping, lawyers, and Basso
It's always interesting when lawyers get involved in these things.
I like what Basso's lawyer, Martelli, came up with: "A DNA test is traumatic, and not 100% reliable,..."
Sorry, but "no," and "no." DNA testing is not traumatic, unless you have a fear of cotton swabs; and with modern techniques and equipment, DNA tests are (for all practical purposes) 100% reliable. A bag full of blood is more than enough material for a battery of reliable tests, at multiple labs. If we were talking of testing proteins from a discarded cigarette butt, then I might be skeptical of the results, but with a bag full of blood (untainted DNA) and a fresh swab, a DNA test (or two, or 20) would readily discount Basso's involvement in doping. Or not.
Cyclists at Basso's level should be held to a higher standard than a common criminal. That does not mean "presumed innocent until proven guilty," unfortunately. It means that if credible evidence is found that implicates a cyclist in doping, then said cyclist must volunteer the precious bodily fluids necessary to determine the truth.
Maybe we'll find out that Basso only partakes of rainwater, after all is said and done. Or not.
Jay McBeth
Texas
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Ullrich's Innocence
Mr. Ullrich is complaining that he should be considered innocent until proven guilty. Well, that might be the standard in a trial, but given the mountain of evidence against him, it seems that bail would be set at a minimum of $1,000,000 if he were in the United States. First, his ‘doctor’ has admitted to providing illegal substances in order to ‘protect the health’ of his riders/patients. Second, searches have uncovered piles of illegal substances, bags of blood and doping equipment in the possession of his ‘doctor’. Third, his trainer/coach/mentor is in regular contact with the ‘doctor’ asking for more and admitting that he was surprised at how well the treatments worked. Someone needs to contact Mr. Ullrich and tell him that he needs a reality check. Mr. Ullrich needs to respond in a detailed, systematic, open manner and he needs to do it now if he wants to retain any credibility. By the way, why does Mr. Ullrich travel all the way to Spain to see a doctor? Are there really no doctors in Germany qualified to treat him?
David C. Brayton
Healdsburg, California, USA
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Tyler Hamilton
Glaring inconsistency. The Tyler Hamilton Operation Puerto affair has an interesting twist. If this evidence is true, it shows that he was doping his own blood. But if the tests are true which got him his two year suspension, then he doped blood from another person. It can't be both. Which is it?
Bob Wooldridge
Friday, July 14, 2006
Did Millar come clean
I believe Miller did name Massimiliano Lelli (and maybe others?) during his drug case. Most riders who have named other riders involved with drugs seemed to have then been snubbed by most of the peloton on there return. I believe a few have quit due to the treatment they received from other riders. I guess once Tyler started along the – “I am innocent” route to the degree he did it is difficult to U-turn. Surely he must realize it is beginning to look very stupid. Though I guess it never did Richard Virenque any harm! What is really annoying me is the lack of names from other sports. Whilst Dick Pound is saying Cycling is in the toilet other sports where drugs are probably just as prevalent remain untainted. All coverage of the Tour in the media has included comments on the drugs investigation, but when I what the World Cup nothing was mentioned. It was the same during Wimbledon. Surely these events like the Tour would have provide the media with the biggest impact by naming names? A spokes person from the LTA said no Tennis players had failed a drugs test but then neither had David Miller, so this is no proof that there drugs are not being taken. Are Football and Tennis rich enough to cover-up any allegations? It certainly seems something is going on.
Tim Kingston
Ashford, Kent, UK
Friday, July 14, 2006
Did Millar come clean
This is a response to all the e-mails stating that David Miller is a good guy because he came clean about his EPO use. Don't you all remember him calling his former team mates liars and nutters because they told authorities that he had doped? Let's face it, he didn't own up to anything until the 2 empty vials of EPO were found in his house. He lied until irrefutable evidence was found that proved him guilty. These are not the actions of a "true man".
Mike Tucker
Santa Barbara, CA USA
Friday, July 14, 2006
Ullrich's doping plan
As a physician I have to express my disgust at the number of drugs planned for Jan. In medicine you should have controlled clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness of a therapeutic regimen. Where is the data that all of these drugs administered to Jan are safe, and without a placebo-controlled trial how do we know that his improved performance is not just a placebo effect (you would be surprised at the power of a placebo)? I have patients who have developed avascular necrosis of the hip with a single course of corticosteroids given for legitimate medical needs. This kind of experimentation on athletes is just wrong. But do not blame just the athletes, the physicians involved are far far worse and should lose their license. Do no harm!!
Thomas Sharpton
Livermore, Ca
Friday, July 14, 2006
Doping and still suffering
From what I have read, most of the doping involved in the Puerto affair has to do with recovering from the hard efforts that Tour de France riders put in day after day. It seems that this may be the price that fans have to pay to enjoy watching the top echelon of the sport engage in such super human battles over a three week tour. I would prefer un-assisted competition, but if the requirements of the sport demand more than the human body can endure, then I don't think that we should be surprised if the participants look to chemicals to help them through.
Also, the EPO or hormones or whatever do not turn the pedals for the riders. It may help them go a bit faster, but I still see a hell of a lot of suffering on the road. I think all cyclist know that you will push your pain tolerance to its limit, so I still admire Ullrich and Basso and the others for the suffering they have put in on the road and the sacrifices they have made in the name of winning the Tour de France.
Maybe the tour organizers and the medical experts should get together and determine what he human body can do, and recover from, over a three week period and give the riders a break from the Herculean demands that are being placed on them.
Bradley Steere
USA
Friday, July 14, 2006
Recent letters pages
Letters 2006
- July 14, part 2: Landis' aero bars, Wide Open Before the Cols- An Average Fan's Predictions, US Nationals, Cipo @ the Tour, And the Winner is?, Boring spots, Disco Boys?, Enough Lance, Is Discovery really a true U.S. Pro Tour Team?, Kloden by default, Millar's new TT position, Photogenically Challenged Champions, Segregation is not the solution
- July 14, part 1: Legalising doping , Small world, Hamilton's fax, Cheats, Come clean, Simoni, Doping and the double standard, Dopers don't affect love of riding, Greg LeMond, Vino, Lance & LeMond
- July 7, part 2: Legalise it!, Doping, Greg LeMond, Plenty of riders don't dope, What I will do, Phonak, Come clean, Hide & Seek, The Early Signs coming True, Doping and sponsors, Santiago Botero not on the list, An alternative
- July 7, part 1: Are we paying these guys enough? Cardiac hypertrophy and sudden death, A cycling scandal? A sad day for cycling fans, Discovery's team leader, Easier racing won't help, Simoni, Cheats, Vinokourov, An open letter to Ivan Basso, Are we alone?, Sharing the road, Searching for an old book
- June 30, part 1: Easier racing won't help, Communidad Valencia and the ASO, Doping & fans, What a Shame, Sunny side of pro dopers, Tyler Hamilton: how long can he deny, The new "performance" enhancer, Greg LeMond, Armstrong's letter to IOC, Armstrong, L'Équipe, WADA & Pound, A call for one more test
- June 30, part 2: Ullrich and the Tour, Mancebo: The Unsung Hero, Hincapie to lead Disco, Jane Higdon, USA junior development, Voigt vs. Hincapie, Operation Puerto, Where there is smoke, there is fire, Watching the wheels come off, Why only cycling?, UCI request for riders to submit signed statements, UCI leadership questioned by reporters
- June 23: "Next!", Hincapie to lead Disco, USA junior development, Jane Higdon, A call for one more test, Armstrong's letter to IOC, Defending Landis, Doping, The Armstrong/L'Équipe/WADA/Pound affair, Spanish doping allegations, Team consequences, Voigt vs. Hincapie
- June 16: Pound should resign, Now I’m really confused, Vinokourov, Saiz, doping and the TdF, The Spanish operation, Misplaced sympathy, Name the suspects, Spanish doping, Opinions from France, ASO, Simoni vs. Basso, Voigt vs. Hincapie, Jens Voigt vs. George Hincapie, Voigt and Hincapie, Jane Higdon, Jeremy Vennell diary
- June 11: Simoni vs. Basso, Basso and Simoni, Simoni versus Basso, Simoni's smile, Sour grapes Simoni, Sarcastic, disgruntled fan?, Congrats to Jan, Non-round rings, Sport, Voigt and Hincapie, Jens Voigt, Three cheers for Jens Voigt, Jens Voigt vs. George Hincapie, Voigt vs. Hincapie, Thanks to Voigt and Manzano, Champion in countless ways, Chapeau Jens!
- June 9 - Special edition: Vino’s position, Astana-Wurth and the TdF, Vinokourov, Saiz, doping and the TdF, Spanish doping allegations, WADA, Vrijman's findings, That Report, WADA and Armstrong, WADA vs. UCI vs. the riders, WADA's double standard, WADA and Pound missing the point, Pound should resign, A Pound of what?, The role of the AIGCP, The Spanish operation, Botero interview, Say it isn't so, Manolo
- June 2: Simoni versus Basso, Simoni and Basso, Simoni, Simoni's smile, Simoni is a crybaby, Basso and Simoni, Sour grapes Simoni, Gibo Si-MOAN-i, Blood, drugs, cash and corruption, Sickening double standard, Spanish federations' reaction to Saiz, Don't be surprised by drug use, Giro d'Italia, Thanks to Voigt and Manzano, Chapeau Jens!, Jens Voigt, Three cheers for Jens Voigt, Jens Voigt is the man, Voigt 2006 vs Boogerd 1999, Voigt and Hincapie, Discovery’s Giro team, Altitude tents and EPO, Not just name-calling, Say it isn't so, Manolo, Spanish doping allegations, Armstrong and L'Equipe, CSC is a class act, Basso and CSC, Jimenez memories, Markers in drugs, Discovery Channel's Giro performance, Pound should resign, Giro live reporting, Banning of altitude tents, Bettini is consistent
- May 26: Their A-game's at home, The Tour and the TT, Jan's good form, Jan bashing, Congrats to Jan, The diesel, Double or nothing, Ivance Bassostrong, Bravo, Basso!, Discovery Channel's Giro performance, Bettini is consistent, Banning of altitude tents, When disqualification isn't enough, WADA should ban intervals
- May 26 - Special edition: Say it ain't so, Manolo, Say it isn't so, Spanish Federations' reaction to Saiz, The doping scandal to end them all
- May 19: Bettini is consistent, Banning of altitude tents, Hypoxic tents, WADA and altitude tents, Latest WADA crusade, WADA bans another, Congrats to Jan, Criticism of Jan Ullrich, Jan bashing, Jan ready for the Tour, Jan's good form, Armstrong - the New American Idol, The same old Lance, Defeatism in Discovery, Giro reactions, One of Savoldelli's secrets, Rasmussen's time trial position, Riders under helmets, Difference between following and leading, The Tour and the TT, Bruyneel's Giro comments, When disqualification isn't enough
- May 12: Marion Clignet, Bruyneel's Giro comments, Criticism of Jan Ullrich, Jan bashing, Jan's weight, Defeatism in Discovery, Lance talking up Basso, The same old Lance, Rasmussen's time trial position, Giro team time trial, Hincapie in Paris-Roubaix, Riders under helmets
- May 5: Criticism of Jan, Criticism of Ullrich, The Ullrich-bashing bandwagon, Ullrich in 2006, Jan dramas, More Jan dramas, Bruyneel's Giro comments, Team helmets, Volunteering at bike races, Hincapie in Paris-Roubaix
- April 28: Working for the team in Georgia, Ullrich's thick skin, Ullrich and the 2006 Tour, Jan Ullrich racing, Ullrich and THAT wheel, Jan Ullrich, Jan dramas, Paris-Roubaix technology, Hincapie in Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Roubaix controversy, Paris-Roubaix comments, Paris-Roubaix tech, Team helmets
- April 21: Paris-Roubaix final say, Paris-Roubaix controversy, Paris-Roubaix and technology, George and the fork issue, Quotable quotes, Cycling technology, Behaving like a champion, Paris-Roubaix: UCI Code of Ethics
- April 14: Continuing to behave like a champion, No curse of the rainbow jersey, Tom Boonen, Hang in there, Saul, The gods of cycling, Trek and Paris-Roubaix, Looking out for George, Paris-Roubaix and technology, Broken forks and broken dreams, Jan Ullrich, Jan dramas, Disqualifications, So you know, Paris - Roubaix, THAT railway crossing incident, Need for consistency, Paris-Roubaix - poor Cancellara, Paris Roubaix disqualification, Paris-Roubaix: setting a good example, Roubaix disqualification decision, UCI Roubaix disgrace, Paris Roubaix disqualification, Paris Roubaix affair, Paris-Roubaix fiasco, Paris-Roubaix sham, Racing's railroad crossings, George's bike failure, Let them race, Roubaix controversy
- April 12 (Special Paris Roubaix edition): Paris-Roubaix disqualification, Disqualification on the pave, Level crossing in Paris-Roubaix, Rules are rules, Paris-Roubaix, McQuaid's reasoning, Pat McQuaid and train barriers, Railway crossing at Paris-Roubaix, Disqualifications in Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Roubaix crossing, Roubaix controversy, Grade crossings, Railroad crossings, Safety at Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Roubaix sham, Paris-Roubaix safety, Paris-Roubaix rail crossing, Boonen and friends cross the tracks, McQuaid's explanation, Roubaix disqualification decision
- April 7: Hang in there Saul, De Ronde parcours, Edwig van Hooydonk, Discovery’s American riders, Tom Boonen, April fools, Hair care product line, Brave new world, Commonwealth Games time trial, Photo of the year
