Comments on: Untangling the Tour de France Dope Stories http://cyclocosm.com/2007/07/untangling-the-tour-de-france-dope-stories/ Pro Cycling News, Commentary and Special Features Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:38:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Brayt http://cyclocosm.com/2007/07/untangling-the-tour-de-france-dope-stories/#comment-2176 Brayt Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:20:14 +0000 http://cyclocosm.com/2007/07/untangling-the-tour-de-france-dope-stories/#comment-2176 Right now the only incentive anyone has to confess to doping once they've tested positive is relieving a guilty conscience - and maybe securing future employment. It seems more easier and more UCI/ProTour acceptable for a team to hire a confessed doper (see public reactions to Millar and Zabel) who now preaches clean cycling than it is to hire someone who tested positive or has a cloud over their head and didn't confess (Hamilton, Basso). Do you think Rasmussen and Vino have a better chance of getting contracts when they're 37 if they confess? I think so. Fighting your positive test can be very expensive - Hamilton, Landis and Hondo have all spent a ton of money trying to prove their innocence by finding a technicality - but if you're willing to just disappear from the sport (Ullrich), you don't stand to lose much financially by not confessing. I think the solution is two-fold. Tougher sanctions is definitely part of it. If you know testing positive is going to cost you all the money you made from cycling, then suddenly doping becomes a financial risk. Second, there's got to be a way to plea bargin. If you're busted and you actually cooperate, then you shouldn't get fined as much and should get another chance. Harsh for sure, but it might be the only way. Right now the only incentive anyone has to confess to doping once they’ve tested positive is relieving a guilty conscience - and maybe securing future employment. It seems more easier and more UCI/ProTour acceptable for a team to hire a confessed doper (see public reactions to Millar and Zabel) who now preaches clean cycling than it is to hire someone who tested positive or has a cloud over their head and didn’t confess (Hamilton, Basso). Do you think Rasmussen and Vino have a better chance of getting contracts when they’re 37 if they confess? I think so.

Fighting your positive test can be very expensive - Hamilton, Landis and Hondo have all spent a ton of money trying to prove their innocence by finding a technicality - but if you’re willing to just disappear from the sport (Ullrich), you don’t stand to lose much financially by not confessing.

I think the solution is two-fold. Tougher sanctions is definitely part of it. If you know testing positive is going to cost you all the money you made from cycling, then suddenly doping becomes a financial risk. Second, there’s got to be a way to plea bargin. If you’re busted and you actually cooperate, then you shouldn’t get fined as much and should get another chance. Harsh for sure, but it might be the only way.

]]> By: dailytri http://cyclocosm.com/2007/07/untangling-the-tour-de-france-dope-stories/#comment-2182 dailytri Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:15:53 +0000 http://cyclocosm.com/2007/07/untangling-the-tour-de-france-dope-stories/#comment-2182 There was a good story about a pro rider, Adam Bergman from Minneapolis, who got busted for doping, served his time off the bike and is now back on a team - Colavita I think. It shows that not ALL doping stories have to end badly for everyone involved. He's truly glad to have a second chance to be back riding. Some guys just have to learn the hard way, I suppose. Here's the link to the article. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1Y1-107564344.html There was a good story about a pro rider, Adam Bergman from Minneapolis, who got busted for doping, served his time off the bike and is now back on a team - Colavita I think. It shows that not ALL doping stories have to end badly for everyone involved. He’s truly glad to have a second chance to be back riding. Some guys just have to learn the hard way, I suppose.

Here’s the link to the article. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1Y1-107564344.html

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