"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Tommeke, Tommeke, Tommeke, wat doe je nou!?!?

nee, nee, nee.


Boonen positive for cocaine – again
Tom Boonen positive for cocaine – a second time

Tom Boonen of team Quick Step has again tested positive for cocaine as a result of a doping control on April 27, during a racing break in Belgium following the Spring Classics, according to HLN.be. The 2005 World Champion could face criminal charges for violating the conditions of his suspended sentence for cocaine use.

Boonen, winner of Paris-Roubaix in April, first tested positive for cocaine a year ago.

The Vlaamse Gemeenschap ("Flemish Community") received news of Boonen's second positive control on Tuesday. Since it was an out-of-competition test, it cannot take action – cocaine usage is subject to sporting sanctions only during competition. The results are now in the hands of the Turnhout court, which had acted on Boonen's earlier cocaine case.

Police searched Boonen's house on Friday morning in relation to the news. He cooperated in the search and was questioned.

Following Boonen's positive test last year, he was excluded from the Tour de France. Team Quick Step declared that it forego additional punishment as it was a "personal issue".

Boonen did not confess to the cocaine use but apologised for the "negative" news. He later claimed that someone must have spiked his drink at an outdoor cafe.

On February 3, the court in Turnhout ruled that although Boonen had used cocaine, he would not face any punishment. It found that his exclusion from the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de France was punishment enough.

It issued a ruling ordering him to pay court costs and to refrain from using such drugs in the future. His new positive test is thus apparently a violation of that order, leaving him potentially open to criminal sanctions.

Neither Boonen nor Quick Step could be reached for comment. (SW)

No. Not again.

The pull of those white lines can be a little too much for some people.

This is so depressing.

I truly don't believe Boonen could be that addicted to somethng so easily detected.
Spiked!

Like Rick James said when asked if he really did all the crazy things in Charlie Murphy's stories about him, "Cocaine is a hell of a drug!"

Boonen is either a complete idiot or needs some serious help

Like Rick James said when asked if he really did all the crazy things in Charlie Murphy's stories about him, "Cocaine is a hell of a drug!"

http://www.streetsourcemag.com/uploads/Ownerprofiles/1995chevys10/46200430732PM43531.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/GSXRGIRL805/normal_CocaineRickJames.jpg

Boonen is either a complete idiot or needs some serious help

Both.

i really want to be a fan. twice? really!? c'mon

Maybe I am wrong, but for me failing an out-of-competition drug test from cocaine (for an athlete) doesn't have the same impact of "failing" a drug test the way EPO, Testosterone, Steroids, or HGH would.

well something like this is potentially worse since he could end up in prison

man, that's sad on so many levels.

Maybe I am wrong, but for me failing an out-of-competition drug test from cocaine (for an athlete) doesn't have the same impact of "failing" a drug test the way EPO, Testosterone, Steroids, or HGH would.

Regardless, it shows a reckless disregard for his stature as a representative for the sport. Personally I dont care what he does outside of racing...as long as he doesnt get caught. He got caught. Again.

well something like this is potentially worse since he could end up in prison

And if not prison, his appeal to sponsors is tanking after multiple drug busts. The "champion cyclist" image is starting to give way to the "cokehead dumbass" image ...

Why does he hate the Betty Ford

i really want to be a fan. twice? really!? c'mon

still am...who cares

Blow is out of your system in terms of testing in just a few day. He's got a real drug problem ...... and now also a huge LEGAL problem given that this is his second offense.

... Brad

There are better ways to get out of racing the Tour.

wonder if he's hitting the rails right now.

There are better ways to get out of racing the Tour.

I think it's a pretty dope way to get out of the Tour.


....



Sorry.

He's addicted...he can save his career by going to rehab...admitting he has a problem and huge tearful apology.

I don't feel any more sorry for someone who takes recreational drugs than I do someone takes PEDs.

Coke is a tough monkey to get off your back. I hope he can get some help.

I've watched some dear friends fall into serious trouble with that stuff. It's disturbing: he must have known that he'd likely be caught if he used, but he did it anyway. Sounds like he's in a pretty dark place.

Someone should call A&E's Intervention (http://www.aetv.com/intervention/index.jsp). It worked for that other guy.

Maybe I am wrong, but for me failing an out-of-competition drug test from cocaine (for an athlete) doesn't have the same impact of "failing" a drug test the way EPO, Testosterone, Steroids, or HGH would.

1. it can be used to mask other things.

2. if he, one of the greatest talents of his generation, is snorting coke, what else is he willing to do to his body?

Man, I hate this. I really like Tom B. I hope the best for him. And I hope he can clean up his life. Coke is a tough one to quit.

He's addicted...he can save his career by going to rehab...admitting he has a problem and huge tearful apology.

Hasn't he already done that?

Boonen is either a complete idiot or needs some serious help

Addiction turns you into an idiot. No healthy person would ever jeopardize what he had just to get high.

Hasn't he already done that?

he apologized but later said someone spiked his drink.

ed rader

"The CIDI provided information to the team from 54,068 survey participants who were interviewed in person or by telephone using a standardized and structured system for psychiatric conditions and drug use. As part of the survey, the participants were asked if they had ever partaken of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or cocaine.

They found that in the Americas, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand, alcohol was used by a majority of the participants. This was in comparison to smaller frequencies in the Middle East, Africa, and China. Notably, in the United States, the authors found that 16.2% of people reported using cocaine in their lifetime -- this was much higher than the level of any other country with New Zealand taking second highest with 4.3%. Additionally, cannabis use was highest in the US, with 42.4% followed once again by New Zealand with 41.9% reporting use."



16.2% in the US is like 72.3 billion people, right? Meh ... everyone has done it. NBD.

"I think I have a problem. After spending three to four months working, when I go out I probably over-step the mark and I become someone else. For 364 days a year, it's perfect. I try to be an exemplary citizen. But the day that I drink too much, something that I don't do often, I change. I will now seek help."

"The CIDI provided information to the team from 54,068 survey participants who were interviewed in person or by telephone using a standardized and structured system for psychiatric conditions and drug use. As part of the survey, the participants were asked if they had ever partaken of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or cocaine.

They found that in the Americas, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand, alcohol was used by a majority of the participants. This was in comparison to smaller frequencies in the Middle East, Africa, and China. Notably, in the United States, the authors found that 16.2% of people reported using cocaine in their lifetime -- this was much higher than the level of any other country with New Zealand taking second highest with 4.3%. Additionally, cannabis use was highest in the US, with 42.4% followed once again by New Zealand with 41.9% reporting use."



16.2% in the US is like 72.3 billion people, right? Meh ... everyone has done it. NBD.

no friggin way that the US and middle earth have a higher percentage than clogland.

No friggin way indeed. same with blow

Tough stuff. I wish him luck because he. is. done.

From a hero to a name people will try to forget.

Tough stuff. I wish him luck because he. is. done.

From a hero to a name people will try to forget.

i don't think he's done. boonen is young enough, talented enough, and popular enough that he can survive this. since he didn't come clean last time he can do so this time and then throw himself on the mercy off the fans and hit a rehab.

now whether he can kick the drugs is another question. some can, some can for awhile and then some just die like pantani.

i'm not trying to be callous and i'll break my anonimity and say i just celebrated 19 years clean earlier this month.

almost everyone i knew who got clean with me is either dead, incarcerated or back out there.

so my guess is boonen is not done with racing ... but i don't see a return to the peloton as being his biggest challenge.

ed rader

almost everyone i knew who got clean with me is either dead, incarcerated or back out there.

so my guess is boonen is not done with racing ... but i don't see a return to the peloton as being his biggest challenge.

ed rader

Great post Ed. Keep hanging in there.

I can count on one hand the guys I grew up with that didn't have to go to rehab for one thing or the other. And those are the guys who got their lives together. The rest are gone. Some didn't make it out of their teens in one piece. My best friend through grammer and middle school died of AIDS he got from his junkie wife.

I dodged the addiction bullet...barely.

I have empathy for Boonen, and I hope he can get and stay clean. But I have no sympathy for him, only the innocent people that are going to suffer because of this. He's a big boy and no one shoved a rolled up Euro in his nose and made him do that first line, and it's not like there's some big mystery about the risks that come with using.

thanx Racer Ex. there's a saying that i've heard maybe a 1000 times or so: "we aren't responsible for our addiction but we are responsible for our recovery."

ed rader

i don't think he's done. boonen is young enough, talented enough, and popular enough that he can survive this. since he didn't come clean last time he can do so this time and then throw himself on the mercy off the fans and hit a rehab.

now whether he can kick the drugs is another question. some can, some can for awhile and then some just die like pantani.

i'm not trying to be callous and i'll break my anonimity and say i just celebrated 19 years clean earlier this month.

almost everyone i knew who got clean with me is either dead, incarcerated or back out there.

so my guess is boonen is not done with racing ... but i don't see a return to the peloton as being his biggest challenge.

ed rader


congratulations for overcoming and I wish you continued success.

I completely agree with you. I, and many others, won't care too much when he does return to the peloton.

fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice...

"The CIDI provided information to the team from 54,068 survey participants who were interviewed in person or by telephone using a standardized and structured system for psychiatric conditions and drug use. As part of the survey, the participants were asked if they had ever partaken of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or cocaine.

They found that in the Americas, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand, alcohol was used by a majority of the participants. This was in comparison to smaller frequencies in the Middle East, Africa, and China. Notably, in the United States, the authors found that 16.2% of people reported using cocaine in their lifetime -- this was much higher than the level of any other country with New Zealand taking second highest with 4.3%. Additionally, cannabis use was highest in the US, with 42.4% followed once again by New Zealand with 41.9% reporting use."



16.2% in the US is like 72.3 billion people, right? Meh ... everyone has done it. NBD.



Uhh no. Nowhere near. At a rough guess that's about 14X the earth's population. I'm going to guess you're exaggerating for effect. :rolleyes:

It is a shame and diminishes Boonen's accomplishments and pro cycling in general. The "spiked drink" defense is sad as well.

There are better ways to get out of racing the Tour.

Like joining Fuji-Servetto.

Like joining Fuji-Servetto.

lol

I still haven't heard an answer to the following questions:

Why would they do out-of-competition test for substances like cocaine that they can't sanction the riders for?

Why would they would find it necessary to make the results public and give the test results to the legal authorities? I can see letting the team know or something so the rider can be counseled/fired/treated, whatever, but what benefit is it to cycling to seek criminal prosecution of a rider for something the sport itself doesn't even have a rule against? Are they trying to kill pro-cycling with scandal?

How in hell can these privately administered tests by a sporting authority count as evidence in a criminal proceeding?

Easy way to not get caught:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j-DGrWry6k&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fblog%2Emaxivip%2Efr%2Fapplication%2Di%2Dphone%2Di%2Dsnort%2Dvous%2Dapprenda%2Dsnif fer%2Dde%2Dla%2Dcoke%2Dpolemique%2F&feature=player_embedded

Hasn't he already done that?

You may be thinking of this:

http://www.wimblog.be/media/images/sophievanvliet.jpg

I wonder if his 16-year-old girlfriend is also doing coke?

... Brad

cyclingnews is now saying this is Boonen's third cocaine positive, as the first one was kept under wraps in Nov '07 (having trouble linking the story, but its in the ticker there)

cyclingnews is now saying this is Boonen's third cocaine positive, as the first one was kept under wraps in Nov '07 (having trouble linking the story, but its in the ticker there)

if he keeps this up, he may be the next Johan ver der Velde.

if he keeps this up, he may be the next Johan ver der Velde.

Only if he starts burglarising houses or stealing lawn mowers

Robbing the cradle isn't enough to qualify?

Robbing the cradle isn't enough to qualify?

was it was illegal? no. ethically questionable? yes, but legal all the same.