News for August 7, 2000

VDB's demand

According to French newspaper l'Equipe, Frank Vandenbroucke asked Patrick Lefevere for a salary of FF 8 million ($US 1.1 million) next year. That was the end of the discussion between Frank and DOMO. At the moment with Cofidis, he makes close to this: FF 7.5 million, but given his results and general health this year, it will be hard to justify a pay rise.

Walter Planckaert definitely going to Lotto

Current Palmans team leader, Walter Planckaert will join the Lotto squad next year, after he rejected an offer by Peter Post. Post asked him to become the team manager of Farm Frites next season as they had worked together for many years. As a Panasonic rider, Walter was the road captain. When he retired, he went - with Post - to Histor.

Chiotti signs a new contract

Former World MTB Champion and GIANT team member, Jerome Chiotti has restarted his career with the French team, Cycles Lapierre. Despite losing his 1996 world title after admitting a few months ago that he took EPO, Chiotti still had the desire to compete off road. However, his contract with team GIANT was dissolved by a mutual agreement, and since then Chiotti has been sorting out his life.

Legal representative of the new team, Gilles Lapierre was one of Chiotti's big supporters in the past few months since his startling admission. The two intend to prove that it is possilbe to race at the top level without resorting to illegal drugs. Chiotti will contest France's biggest MTB event, the Roc d'Azur, followed by the French cyclocross series (Challenge National and the French Championship). He will also join the French DN2 road team, SCO Dijon, to help it rise to DN1.

Cycles Lapierre have been present top level of competition for more than ten years and have won all the national and international titles. The company forms part of the large European ACCELL group including companies such as Batavus (Ned), Koga (Ned), Sparta (Ned), Hadee (Ned), Hercules (Ger), Draper France-loire (Fra) and Lapierre (Fra).

100 Pour 2000

This French based initiative is aimed at promoting clean and ethical sports of all types. It is comprised of people who want professional and amateur sport to return to a purer state, and not as it is now. The list of members is very broad, including people from athletics, football, diet/nutrition, medicine, television/radio and many other areas. In cycling the following are associated with the charter: Felicia Ballanger, Christophe Bassons, Gilles Delion, Jerome Chiotti, Thomas Frischknecht, Erwin Mentheour, Fréderic Grappe and Antoine Vayer (coaches) and Willy Voet (ex-soigneur).

The following charter was (and will be) published in many major newspapers, including Le Monde and the Sunday Times. For more information, please contact 100pour2000@wanadoo.fr.

I. That the individual becomes once more the prime concern in sport

II. That training of the athlete is to be carried out in an open environment and strict compliance to sporting rules. In particular with regard to tested methods and the athlete's health

III. That the signatories of the proclamation support the step of voluntary anti-doping controls

IV. That the states, and the international bodies in charge of the fight against doping take steps toward firm actions such that candidates may be freed from any suspicion

V. That the proposals for firm actions are taken into account by these authorities and that their implementation gives rise to a public evaluation in the form of accountability

VI. That amnesty or leniency to sanctions and common sense be granted to all those that require it and henceforth begin to compete fairly

VII. That justice in sport is firm, its sanctions sufficiently dissuasive and impossible to circumvent vis-a-vis with civil justice

VIII. That the medical profession is made independent of sporting capacities and that it maintains its exclusive role toward the health of the sportsmen.

IX. That an independent medical institution assumes the role of arbitration within the framework of longitudinal follow-ups and out of competition controls

X That sporting movements operate in a democratic and transparent manner

XI. That the financial capabilities adhere to an ethical charter

XII. That the amateurs as well as the media are committed to respecting the sporting spirit and the sportsmen by supporting those who do not have anything to hide

XIII. That the entire sporting profession, including all coaches, managers, sportsmen, teachers, officials, leaders etc., attempt to integrate an unconditional respect of sporting ethics.

XIV. That a priority is granted to the reconversion necessarily undertaken during the sporting career.

XV. That young sportsmen are protected from any form of exploitation

XVI. That the signatories of the proclamation endeavour to respect the ethics of the sport of which they become the guarantors.

Laurence Leboucher rebounds

After she won the French National titles today, Laurence Leboucher has nearly guaranteed herself a place in the French MTB team to go to Sydney. Despite missing the World Championships in June due to a borken collarbone, Leboucher came back to win the Tour de la Haute-Vienne and then the Nationals. The other member of the French women's team will likely be the second placed rider today, Sophie Villeneuve. The selection has yet to be made firm, but these two riders have the best form at the moment, after Sandra Temporelli has been disappointing.

The men's race will likely see a win to Miguel Martinez provided nothing untoward happens.