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Old 04-25-07 | 05:26 PM
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pinky
Ink-Stained Wretch
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,731
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From: Holyoke, MA
Different angle on solving doping

So everyone keeping talking about throwing cash at more thorough testing, for bigger and better tests. The issue is there also appears to be the impression that riders are only doping to win. Let's for a moment screw all that.

Riders and athletes in general (and the "doctors") are always going to looking for, and finding new drugs and new ways to beat tests. Look at our very own "War on Drugs" increased arrests succeed at nothing more that straining the very system thats making the arrests.
The other part of the problem is that (I think) most dopers are expecting to win. Look at Puerto, you have 50-60 riders, with the big names like Basso and Ulrich,which eliminates 2, how many of the remaining regularly win races? Or have ever won a single Pro Tour race? These riders are doping for a different reason - to keep racing. These are no name Pro Tour riders who know nothing except racing. To get realeased from a team means a massive pay cut to what is already a pathetic salary. Especially when pensions are at their largest 36% and at minimum 12% (which means given the minimum salary for a non-neo pro E10,800).

Instead why not approach all of this from a different angle. Let's jack the rider minimum salary (on all levels so Continental and what not also raises) to something that's sustainable as a pension once they leave the sport and make sure the pension is dependant upon staying clean (amongst other things). Take all that cash they're throwing at testing and pay the rest of the riders with it. It won't make current dopers stop (though we haven't figured out anything that has worked yet) but it should lay a basis for creating a sport where athletes aren't doping for fear of losing their jobs and only meaningful source of income.

Basically the idea is to move the doping battle from one of punishment to one of reward.

Have fun...play nice...
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