Lance Armstrong Tour de France titles in jeopardy

Again, let's keep in mind that "record" breaking performances sell sporting event tickets and viewership ratings (as allegedly seen in the MLB after the 80's players strike).

Let's also keep in mind that Marion Jones was eventually found guilty of doping after many years of alleged "cover ups" and denials by her and her supporters.

Let us also remember that a person should be considered innocent until found guilty in an applicable "court of law".

However, I feel that the sporting "world" must address this issue in order to halt a possible loss of those who have a desire to follow a true sport rather than a scripted drama.

Raymond wrote:

Hi boys. Still cycling strong! Is'nt it all very sad!!
Anyway, I feel privaleged. Not only shall I be following the tour as usual, but yet again it passes my pile within 8Km. A couple of nights at home in prospect yet again.
Kind regards to all clean cyclists. All true sportsmen know it makes sense.
Take care. Raymond

Hi Raymond, make roon for Pieter, Guss, Harry and myself!!!!!

I am in agreement with MOEPT, there has been entirely too much emphasis on finding the doping athletes. Virtually no effort has been made to pursue the rest of the doping infrastructure. Further entirely too much faith has been placed in doping tests detecting the presence of dopers. Let us not forget Landis tested positive for testosterone a drug he continues to deny using during the 06 tour. Yet he admits to using epo and blood doping. These methods of cheating were not detected. The tests were false negative for what he was positive for and false positive for what he was not doing. This does not sound like a system that is working. Tests should not form the whole basis for identifying dopers. The tests should be used as a guide for launching an investigation of the entire team and all parties when identified by an investigation need to have serious consequences. The punishment should not be just reserved for the doping athlete.

Telemark and Zeek, you made good points here.

Some of us here have brought up those points here since the 2006 TDF, yet many cycling fans don't always seem to get the point nor want to discuss and or provide recomendations for improving the sport of cycling, much less the system.

I've been waiting for the UCI, WADA, and all of the national agencies to sit down together like mature adults and begin working together! Yet we have already seen from the recent Alberto Contador case that the UCI went and had a Hissy Fit, rather then try working with the Spanish Federation.

All I have seen since the 2006 TDF is a continuing 'Soap Opera Circus" crawling along and nothing positively improving our sport of cycling!

Cheers

Zeek wrote:

I am in agreement with MOEPT, there has been entirely too much emphasis on finding the doping athletes. Virtually no effort has been made to pursue the rest of the doping infrastructure....

...The tests should be used as a guide for launching an investigation of the entire team and all parties when identified by an investigation need to have serious consequences. The punishment should not be just reserved for the doping athlete.

I agree but unfortunetly like drug stings on the neighborhood corner you have to start with the junky or low level dealer and work your way up. The problem is without a criminal investigation these sports will not clean up their own act. They will always make it an act of an individual as to make it seem as a whole they have it under control.

pedsinLA wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree but unfortunetly like drug stings on the neighborhood corner you have to start with the junky or low level dealer and work your way up. The problem is without a criminal investigation these sports will not clean up their own act. They will always make it an act of an individual as to make it seem as a whole they have it under control.

How true!