Professional Cycling For the Fans - Contador two year ban

Hot off the press

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7114/UCI-management-committee-member-Pedersen-says-Contador-will-get-a-two-year-ban.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+velonation_pro_cycling+%28Cycling+News+%26+Race+Results+|+VeloNation.com%29&utm_content=Twitter

It's just one guys opinion.

UCI president last week was saying that Contador was likely to miss this years TdF and that's generally accepted.

I think 2 years will probably be the outcome unless he can get out on some technicality which will mean he'll miss the 2012 TdF also.

I agree. Any sport you look at really, the speculation is for something like this, but at the last second, there is a technicality that keeps it from happening.

Until I see the actual ruling being handed out, I am not going to hold my breath. I do wonder if these "leaks" are an effort to pressure the Spanish federation to take the appropriate action, and not try to finagle some sort of punishment that allows him to race this year or next year.

Until I see the actual ruling being handed out, I am not going to hold my breath. I do wonder if these "leaks" are an effort to pressure the Spanish federation to take the appropriate action, and not try to finagle some sort of punishment that allows him to race this year or next year.

Agreed. McQuaid already said they'd appeal an unsatisfactory ruling (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mcquaid-says-uci-will-appeal-unsatisfactory-contador-ruling). I thought that was a big enough hint that they wanted 2 years, but I guess the leaks are coming out just in case there was any doubt what they would consider satisfactory.

I think if they handed out lifetime bans , the riders might think twice before using the dope.

I think if they handed out lifetime bans , the riders might think twice before using the dope.

Do you think the testing is that reliable to end someones career?

Do you think the testing is that reliable to end someones career?

I agree...and unfortunately, one innocent racer being handed down a lifetime ban is too much of an injustice. However, I think upping the ban to 4 years is a better option. This is not a lifetime ban, but it will give anyone over the age of 27 pause.

I think if they handed out lifetime bans , the riders might think twice before using the dope.

I dont know about lifetime, but there needs to be SOME sort of huge consequences. Something that will make guys really think BEFORE they even decide to inject or ingest, not just something to think about down the road. Perhaps a ban from certain high profile races or no international competition? I dont know, but something...

I think that pro-cycling has such a bad reputation for doping that drastic measures are needed to get it to the point where fans will consider a real sport that isn't full of cheaters. There needs to be genetic blood testing performed by one agency, it should be improved as new procedures come up. There needs to be lifetime bans, at least for the second offense if not the first. If you don't do lifetime bans for the first offense, there should be a 4 year ban for the first offense. Once the sport gets its reputation cleaned up, you can back off a bit.

I think lifetime bans should only be reserved for riders who take out machetes and start hacking other riders during a sanctioned race. But thats just my opinion.

I dont know about lifetime, but there needs to be SOME sort of huge consequences. Something that will make guys really think BEFORE they even decide to inject or ingest, not just something to think about down the road. Perhaps a ban from certain high profile races or no international competition? I dont know, but something...

How about the first positive test results in a four year ban, PLUS the offender has to wear a pink Hello Kitty jumpsuit at all times until the suspension is over?

...the offender has to wear a pink Hello Kitty jumpsuit at all times until the suspension is over?

I can get behind that.

Velonews article link (http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/01/news/reports-alberto-contador-likely-to-get-a-years-suspension_156967)

Think McQuaid considers 1 year "unsatisfactory"?

Well, better than nothing, and that should leave enough time for the CAS to make a final decision if (which I hope) the UCI appeals.

(I would let him keep his TdF title though)

Velonews article link (http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/01/news/reports-alberto-contador-likely-to-get-a-years-suspension_156967)


The likely one year ban certainly sounds like favoritism. Li Fuyu got the full 2-year ban for a similar "minute quantity of clenbuterol."

How about the first positive test results in a four year ban, PLUS the offender has to wear a pink Hello Kitty jumpsuit at all times until the suspension is over?

I'd rather it be 187362

Supports our theory at the leaks about how the 2 year ban was appropriate punishment. The UCI and WADA probably got word that it was heading towards a 1 year ban, and wanted to get the message out in order to avoid the following:

A) Submit to the Spanish, and essentially resign itself to the ruling;
B) Fight the ruling, or at the very least, ban Contador from UCI events for 2 years, especially those outside his hom country (Valverde anyone?)

This is a sham, and if 2 years are not handed out, makes the sport a farce. I may give up altogether watching professional cycling, and stick to the local stuff.

This is a sham, and if 2 years are not handed out, makes the sport a farce. I may give up altogether watching professional cycling, and stick to the local stuff.

I'll never stop watching (it's just entertainment), but I agree with what you're saying. The UCI has to appeal this. Anything else makes them look like a joke (not that they haven't in the past). I'm a little surprised some kind of "if this is true, we will appeal" leak hasn't come out yet. Maybe it's coming soon.

BTW, who's the idiot on Team Contador who keeps talking about how such a small amount of Clenbuterol couldn't improve performance? Stay focused on the beef argument, guys. It doesn't matter how small the dose is, really. The point is that you got caught with something in your system that shouldn't be there. The only thing that really matters is how it got there.