Road Bike Racing - Pantani banned

I have just heard on radio and TV here - looking for details on the Web unsuccessfully now - that Pantani has been banned for up to four years. I assume that this is based upon new indiscretions, and not from the 199x issues, but can't be sure.

Cheers...Gary

Sooo, has he been banned or not? I don't like the twirp, so this doesn't bug me at all.

Wow! I guess that's the end of his career, ten.

I always did like the twerp. He had style, and his performance in the Alps in support of Stefano Garzelli was one of the truly epic rides of this sport.

I'm also bummed about Zanotti and Sacchi. Suspensions are fine, even necessary, fut four years? That's like throwing someone out of the sport for life. It's like saying people aren't redeemable. Christophe Moreau, Alex Zulle and Richard Virenque might argue otherwise.

Maybe I don't know enough about Pantani and his past performances to appreciate him. But all I've read is him being doped and him bad mouthing Lance.

He's to be admired for his spunk and tenacity, although I think he has some major character flaws and bad judgement. I guess this calls into question his Giro and Tour wins.

Here is a story that says little but it looks like the "powers that be" are considering a ban. This is the first time I've heard about insulin being used, but what do I know.

Link to Eurosport site (http://www.eurosport.com/sport.asp?LangueID=0&SportID=18&StoryID=276616)

I am still trying to find out more. But ... it was the Italian Olympic Committee, which could mean simply this Olympics and (maybe) the next, should he have wanted to participate. And it could just be due diligence, and "look, we are on the ball" preventive stuff by the OC.

I don't know what this means, if anything, UCI-wise at all.

Cheers...Gary

I can't say that I like Pantani, but I enjoy his presence in the sport. He is colorful and fun. Even his trash-talking rivalry with Lance (and Mr. Armstrong has returned the Pirate's barbs) has been entertaining. Marco Pantani is an incredible athlete with great legs, great lungs, and a great heart. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be able to win--or believe he can win--without using dope. Now he is being cited for using insulin during the 2001 Giro. If it is true, I think a 4-year (career-ending) suspension is justified. Repeated doping infractions by one so highly placed in the sport demand strict discipline.

A more complete news report here. (http://sports.yahoo.com/m/sc/news/reuters/20020502/reu-pantani.html)

If I understand it correctly, CONI is the de-facto governing body for all elite sport in Italy. Of course, if Pantani is banned in Italy, he could still ride in Belgium or France until the UCI banned him, too...

As for him bad-mouthing Armstrong, that really comes down to perspective. There's a lot of trash talk in the Peleton and I can understand how Americans might be peeved by comments and criticisms of their greatest racer... On the other hand, Lance himself has had some pretty peevish things to say about other racers and, let's face it, getting talked about is one of the occupational hazards of being on top.

Trash talking is fine,
look at Simeoni and his whole
thing with Lance. Pantani seemed (seems) to be
more personal to me, the whole thread of I
respect his (Lance's) ability but he is not a great champion.
No, I don't think Lance is the ultimate Patronne (sp)
like Merckx or Anquentil or Coppi, but look at his
actions with Ullrich last year, very gentlemanly
if you ask me.
I think Pantani is just bitter, and has been so since
Lance gave him the mountain stage in 99.
add to that Pantani's flagging career and I can
see where he needs a target to take some of
the focus off of himself.
Just my $.02 worth
Marty

He hasn't been banned yet, they're recommending it. What a shame- the guy had a great career. As for the other two, that seems a bit excessive. The thing about badmouthing lance-Velocipedio is right. Everyone does it, it's just not caught on tape all the time. WHy should anyone be above criticism, even Armstrong. Gossip isn't a crime, anyways.

It's a shame- I hate to see a charismatic guy end his career like that. Armstrong may be a graet athletee but he just doesn't have a lot of flash, IMHO. Characters like Pantani are really one in a million.

Originally posted by velocipedio
I always did like the twerp. He had style, and his performance in the Alps in support of Stefano Garzelli was one of the truly epic rides of this sport.

I did too. The first time I watched bike racing was the 1998 Giro (I was planning a bike tour to Italy, and a couple of stages were close to our planned route) and since he was the one that attacked in every climb, and eventually won, he was easy to like.

I had given up hope for him after his disqualification in the Giro '99 and bad ride through the Appenines during the first week of the Giro '00, but on the Agnello-Izoard stage I thought he had found himself again. Suspended or not, I doubt that he ever will be in the top 20 in any race of importance.

If I understand the situation correctly, CONI can only recommend the various sporting federations in Italy to suspend athletes. According to cyclingnews.com, Pantani will be allowed to ride the Giro no matter what the current investigation leads to.

I think cycling is on the right track with those suspensions. Axelsson was suspended for four years, and now others will follow, while XC-skier Mühlegg can keep two Olympic gold medals from the games in which he tested positive.

/Csson

While I am by natural bent a little right-wing, I have loosened up a lot in recent years. But as I posted somewhere else a few months ago: I think zero tolerance is called for in sports where drugs are concerned.

There is no lack of good young talent around. And if the current stars are banned, the public will soon get over it and find new ones to follow.

When drugs are gone, all the honest people - riders and fans alike - will pretty much be able to determine if the rider or his drugs won the last stage. And that has to be worth a lot to the riders. At least the ones who are not in it strictly for the money or fame.

Cheers...Gary

Originally posted by gmason
I think zero tolerance is called for in sports where drugs are concerned
Ditto. But why is cycling singled out so much? In US football, it is virtually endorsed, but why is it ignored in other sports, such as soccer? :confused:

In related news, the decision on Pantani is being delayed until after the Giro. I wonder if that means he will ride? Alas, without his chemical friends (including insulin, no less!), he's just pack filler. I don't look for him to do much more than talk a lot of smack, and drop out when the going gets rough.