Professional Cycling - A call for a better anti-doping system

Here is a different point of view from most of what is being posted here...

http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=9843
Daily Peleton guest contributor

"Can we handle the truth? We are our own worst enemy.
This is an open letter of my opinion on the subject of cheating, the constant trampling and indecent and incorrect treatment of our athletes, the realities of the Anti-Doping Agencies, and a call to action.

Ray Cipollini" (Navigators Insurance Pro Cycling Team)

Ray Cipollini" (Navigators Insurance Pro Cycling Team)
Who I'm sure is repsonsible for, or who turns a blind eye to doping in his team.

how bout we make a call for better athletes that dont need to dope?

see? stem cell research does have its uses!

I hear that Daily Peloton has registered the following domain: www.dopingapologists.com

Did any of you read the article before making your knee jerk reactions? Seems to me that all he is asking for is due process. If riders and teams are involved in doping, let's catch them, punish them and run them out of racing. But the conviction by media and message board "experts" before the release of any real information is not good for anybody and not good for the sport.

Did any of you read the article before making your knee jerk reactions? Seems to me that all he is asking for is due process. If riders and teams are involved in doping, let's catch them, punish them and run them out of racing. But the conviction by media and message board "experts" before the release of any real information is not good for anybody and not good for the sport.

He also says:

To me its pretty simple; I want to know with 100% certainty that cheating has occurred, I want to know about it quickly

I wonder a bit about his version of 'due process'. It seems like he wants everything behind closed doors. No public disclosure until things are settled, yet elsewhere he asks for the opposite. It weems to me that what he is really asking for is a burden so high that no one can ever be 'convicted' of doping.

He points out how 'strict' cycling is. But I recall a case where a cyclist got busted for cocaine and got off claiming it was from some chewing gum an aunt sent from columbia. During the same time period a Rugby player had a test come back positive for a substance (asthma meds?) that was allowable as long as it was perscribed and the right box on the paperwork. He had the medical need, he had checked it off in the previous paperwork. He had just filled out the most recent paperwork incorrectly. On appeal hte board agreed with all his facts. His suspension stood anyway.

Let's not forget that cycling at the pro level created this problem by turning a blind eye. Cycling has always been reactive on this. Nothing until Simpson. Then more recently very little until the French and Italian governments got involved. (And now of course the Spanish).

He also says:

To me its pretty simple; I want to know with 100% certainty that cheating has occurred, I want to know about it quickly

I wonder a bit about his version of 'due process'. It seems like he wants everything behind closed doors. No public disclosure until things are settled, yet elsewhere he asks for the opposite. It weems to me that what he is really asking for is a burden so high that no one can ever be 'convicted' of doping.

He points out how 'strict' cycling is. But I recall a case where a cyclist got busted for cocaine and got off claiming it was from some chewing gum an aunt sent from columbia. During the same time period a Rugby player had a test come back positive for a substance (asthma meds?) that was allowable as long as it was perscribed and the right box on the paperwork. He had the medical need, he had checked it off in the previous paperwork. He had just filled out the most recent paperwork incorrectly. On appeal hte board agreed with all his facts. His suspension stood anyway.

Let's not forget that cycling at the pro level created this problem by turning a blind eye. Cycling has always been reactive on this. Nothing until Simpson. Then more recently very little until the French and Italian governments got involved. (And now of course the Spanish).

Exactly. Also I wonder in whose eyes must their be 100 percent certainty? His? Yours? Mine? Homer Simpson's? His last paragraph calls for tougher sanctions... but only if there are "no doubts"... none, nada... but in whose eyes? Who makes the call? The riders themselves cannot be trusted, nor can the teams. I think the French and Italians have gotten it right. Federal anti-doping legislation... strict monitoring... and sanctions that say "You juice, you're toast"