Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/15/2014 01:14 AM |
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A step halfway in the direction of tennis maybe? Before you know it we'll have suspensions masked as "injuries". Oh wait, Menchov already "retired" with a supposed "knee injury".
http://m.cyclingnews.com/news/menchov-case-an-example-of-the-ucis-new-way-of-communicating-on-doping-violations
http://inrng.com/2014/07/denis-menchov-silent-prosecution/ |
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Entheo
Posts:317
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| 07/15/2014 08:33 AM |
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| i can understand why cookson & co. would want to handle it this way; enforce the consequences on the old dopers but at the same time not have it reflect yet again on the new generation of riders. |
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jmdirt
Posts:775
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| 07/15/2014 01:30 PM |
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Great point entheo!
I've said this a few times here, as well as other places, that people feel like they have the right to know everything. I don't share that feeling. Cycling usually airs it's dirty laundry in public. Nothing is gained by that though. Maybe there's a bit of public humiliation in spreading a rider's name all over the information highway, but in the big picture it doesn't accomplish anything positive. Especially in a case like Menchov there is nothing to be gained by making a big public mess.
OC, yes tennis (mostly) keeps their dirty laundry in house, as do all professional sports. Yes, that means that many sports turn a blind eye, but you can have both: reduce doping and keep it in house. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 07/15/2014 07:25 PM |
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Cookson impressed me today with his response. He pointed out that with biopassports, immediate (and correct/responsible) results are not possible. Also that it has been both on the books and right to not implicate a rider who may not be dirty. The positives are then published as scheduled in a public place (the UCI website).
Anyone is free to look at that website. Journalists who make this their calling are being irresponsible if they do not.
Ben |
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Master50
Posts:340
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| 07/15/2014 09:53 PM |
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| Still seeing post that the UCI is still trying to cover it up? Not that they read the anti doping rules. Glad to read more rational thinking on the matter. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/15/2014 10:16 PM |
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Ahem, in this particular case, the perception of not actively pushing back against the notion that Menchov retired due to a knee injury creates all of the wrong impressions. Wrong impressions that may ultimately have no basis, but they are impressions nonetheless that he now has to answer for. Puts the UCI in a bad spot, again (count #3 this year). Cookson pretty much acknowledges this:
“I think it is important when there is a case that is of legitimate public interest, that we make sure that we do announce it in a proactive way rather than a reactive way, which is what we have done in the past.”
As regards what constitutes a case of legitimate public interest, he said it was something he would consider in the weeks ahead.
http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/07/audio-uci-president-cookson-rejects-any-suggestion-of-makarov-shielding-menchov/
The immediate outfall of pants down # 3 is commentary like this that you've now opened yourself up to:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/15/brian-cookson-uci-cycling-president-criticism
Things like this are easily avoided with a bit of rational thinking and a proactive approach. Cookson is good with words but I am waiting for good actions. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/15/2014 10:24 PM |
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I'm starting to wonder is Cookson is actually Obama in disguise.......great at rhetoric and saying the right things, but woefully unprepared to implement new ideas.
*sorry for the slight OT bend* |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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jmdirt
Posts:775
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| 07/16/2014 01:03 AM |
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OC, I do understand what you are saying. I just don't care to hear about everything. That's not to say that I'm putting my head in the sand, but I don't care if a guy gets busted and just disappears from the platoon. If they want to say that his knee is bad, fine, he's gone who cares. In some sports people might have some ground to stand on in demanding to know everything because they pay big bucks for season tickets. There are no season tickets in cycling.
Cosmic, I'm going to avoid the temptation...;-) |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/16/2014 01:21 AM |
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Jmdirt - I am with you on the 70odd names that appear alongside Menchov on the UCI list, incl Hoste, Barredo, Santambrogio and that Turkish dude that won the Turkey Tour with 100% EPO in his veins. All of these case are fine for standard approach, don't need to hear anything about them. But there are a good number of reasons why Menchov is different and proving to be different. You were going to hear about him one way or the other. Except the other way is not so good for Cookson and UCI. This is not about Menchov (indeed who cares), its about UCI shooting itself in the foot...again.
(The injury excuse is why tennis is the laughing stock of anti-doping) |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 07/16/2014 01:33 AM |
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OC, perhaps WADA ahould have a provision that the governing body shall go to the press with the current standings when athletes stretch the truth. Except that is guaranteed to backfire. UCI might find itself having to prove in court that say Menchov did not have a knee injury or be held liable for slander. (A certain former rider has been known to quite successfully utilize that strategy to tie up millions for years.)
Ben |
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Ride On
Posts:537
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| 07/16/2014 06:36 AM |
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Police forces often use fear of public shame as a deterrent for prostitution. We are going to post your name if you do this kind of thing.
I think that sort of works here for PED use. I think without the fear of public shame a lot more riders will take the risk. The general public I think has turned a pretty harsh eye on PED users. Group morality can be a strong influencer in getting people to do things. |
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