CNN Report on Drug Controls at TDF 2008

[My Opinion_El Paso_TX]

Concern has been raised over doping controls held at this year’s Tour de France, with a manager from an un-named team contacting the UCI in relation to the selection of riders and the actual method of gathering samples.

The AFLD [French national anti-doping agency] has been appointed by race organiser ASO to carry out the tests in the aftermath of its split from the UCI. According to the team manager, only about fifty riders were tested thus far, with several being tested more than once. The Spanish are being examined most frequently, while testing of French riders was said to 'rarely occur.'

He gave an example of a lack of testing of a French team, saying that of the Crédit Agricole riders, only stage winner Thor Hushovd was tested since the start of the race.

In addition, concern was raised about the actual testing process. The chaperones were described as 'incapable,' with the manager saying that on the eleventh stage, one was unable to correctly fill out the required forms. Also, when large numbers of riders were required for testing, the area was said to be not sufficiently large and that some of the riders were required to wait outside beside journalists and photographers.

ASO and the AFLD said before the race that they would be focusing on targeted testing rather than a scattergun approach. Two Spanish riders have already tested non-negative for EPO and been ejected from the race, namely Manuel Beltran (Liquigas) and Moises Duenas Nevado (Barloworld).

[My Opinion_El Paso_TX]

Personaaly I would like to see every rider tested every time. I honestly believe that would be the only way we can hope to rid cycling from doping.

That a drug control individual seems to have problems with completing the paper work involved should be a concern for all of us.

If this situation is true about French riders not being tested, than I would be really interested in hearing what Raymonds response is. After all, he has been involved in this years TDF in his area of France.

Actually, I would be interested in hearing from everyone here as to their feelings and reactions to this issue.

And lets address this case in plain simple English.

Cheers Everyone

[Athos]

My Opinion_El Paso_TX wrote:

Personaaly I would like to see every rider tested every time. I honestly believe that would be the only way we can hope to rid cycling from doping.
That a drug control individual seems to have problems with completing the paper work involved should be a concern for all of us.
If this situation is true about French riders not being tested, than I would be really interested in hearing what Raymonds response is. After all, he has been involved in this years TDF in his area of France.
Actually, I would be interested in hearing from everyone here as to their feelings and reactions to this issue.
And lets address this case in plain simple English.
Cheers Everyone

It seems as if riders are being 'targeted' I assume this means they are already under suspicion, in fact some have had 'unusual' blood results over some months, maybe they are more suspicious of some Spanish riders, maybe not, perhaps he French and English will be tested later in the TDF. I hope they are.
A very sad state of affairs, this takes the general public eye away from the race and makes them sneer at this sport, a great pity

[My Opinion_El Paso_TX]

Athos wrote:

<quoted text>It seems as if riders are being 'targeted' I assume this means they are already under suspicion, in fact some have had 'unusual' blood results over some months, maybe they are more suspicious of some Spanish riders, maybe not, perhaps he French and English will be tested later in the TDF. I hope they are.
A very sad state of affairs, this takes the general public eye away from the race and makes them sneer at this sport, a great pity

I read where the UCI had announced that they had identified 31 riders with questionable blood levels through their Blood Passport program and that they would be contacting the 31 riders and their teams by letter.

If I remember correctly, the UCI isn't sharing that info with the ASO because of theyr current relationships.

I believe that it's time for burying the hatchets and for all those organizations to begin working together all professionals.

Cheers

[Raymond]

It is my opinion that the UCI has passed its sell by date and is irrelevant. Compared to ASO they have done little to fight doping.

Do'es anybody seriously continue to support current and passed dopers. Never mind "Lawyers" just use "common sense". Lawyers have no place among "SPORTSMEN" I rest.

[Athos]

Raymond wrote:

It is my opinion that the UCI has passed its sell by date and is irrelevant. Compared to ASO they have done little to fight doping.
Do'es anybody seriously continue to support current and passed dopers. Never mind "Lawyers" just use "common sense". Lawyers have no place among "SPORTSMEN" I rest.

Come on now Raymond, have you seen much common sense here on this forum? Pseudo so called 'lawyers' and 'chemists' yes, but apart from you, me, Will and a couple of others, not a lot
Sorry guys, this is me being 'kind'!

[Raymond]

Athos wrote:

<quoted text>Come on now Raymond, have you seen much common sense here on this forum? Pseudo so called 'lawyers' and 'chemists' yes, but apart from you, me, Will and a couple of others, not a lot
Sorry guys, this is me being 'kind'!

Chris, you nasty man, telling the truth. Sorry guys its only Raymond being "kind".

Ooopps. Sorry I have had a call to dinner. CUL

[My Opinion_El Paso_TX]

Raymond wrote:

It is my opinion that the UCI has passed its sell by date and is irrelevant. Compared to ASO they have done little to fight doping.
Do'es anybody seriously continue to support current and passed dopers. Never mind "Lawyers" just use "common sense". Lawyers have no place among "SPORTSMEN" I rest.

I agree with you Raymond that the UCI isn't doing good here. They along with WADA and ASO should all be working together.

Some of the other cycling forums have also pointed that problem out.

I was hoping that you would have responded to the article about French riders not being tested. I can only guess that you don't want to say anything about that.

Maybe you only care about other riders being tested or maybe you believe that the French riders are clean. Either way, your resonse would have given us some insight.

Cheers

[My Opinion_El Paso_TX]

Raymond wrote:

It is my opinion that the UCI has passed its sell by date and is irrelevant. Compared to ASO they have done little to fight doping.
Do'es anybody seriously continue to support current and passed dopers. Never mind "Lawyers" just use "common sense". Lawyers have no place among "SPORTSMEN" I rest.

I do agree that UCI has done very little in riding the sport of doping.

If the ASO is doing everything possible for getting rid of doping, than why is Erik Zabel still racing? Why is Rabbo Bank being allowed to race. The recent court case found and proved that they knew where their Danish rider was the whole time when he missed the doping controls last year.

Cheers

[My Opinion_El Paso_TX]

Raymond wrote:

It is my opinion that the UCI has passed its sell by date and is irrelevant. Compared to ASO they have done little to fight doping.
Do'es anybody seriously continue to support current and passed dopers. Never mind "Lawyers" just use "common sense". Lawyers have no place among "SPORTSMEN" I rest.

Hey Raymond, I'm getting the feeling you're not wanting to respond to me anymore. If I'm wrong, than I apologize.

I was hoping to hear your input on the article from CNN above as I had figured that you may have had more local knowledge than those of us who don't live nearby the TDF race course.

Cheers