2006-07-28 12:27:20 · 8 answers · asked by Graham B 1 in Sports ➔ Cycling
the answer here lies in "professionalism". There is alot of money being bandied about in cycling, and most other sports. A pro riders career is comparitevley short so they all want a "good retirement". So do footballers, atheletes etc. When the Olympics were strictly amateur drugs were almost unheard of- apart from certain female Eastern block atheletes using testosterone to strengthen their muscles (they ended up paying a high price from heart problems and dying young!) Now that atheletics has become professional the use of banned substances has increased. Admittedly there are now better substances and better tests but that does not absolve the users who want the big pay cheques.
Landis made a remarkable recovery and came back to win. Any endurance cyclist worth his salt will tell you that this was nothing short of a miracle. I do not beleive in miracles. It is highly probable that testosterone was put into IV fluids, either with or without Floyd's knowledge. In the commercial world it could well have been the latter, purely because winning, and sponsor publicity, is more important than taking part or a man's life and future livelihood.
Ullrich was booted from the Tour on the eve of it's beginning and has now been sacked by the T Mob who went on to prove a point by winning the team trophy. Were the other teams paid to let them win? Ullrich was also the main threat to Landis, were the T-mob paid to get rid of Ullrich?
How much are the Commisars being paid to ensure certain events occur?
These are hypothesies. I merely wish to ask: When corruption enters sport where does it end up?
2006-07-30 05:06:14 · answer #1 · answered by tony_rly 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Professional cycling can be clean of performance-enhancing drug use, absolutely -- this can happen as soon as the International Cycling Federation cures its money-induced blindness and gets tough on drug use.
The trouble is that so much money is at stake that nobody wants to pull the trigger and fix the problem.
This is a problem of political will. It is perfectly feasible to run competitions that are free of drug use -- if you're prepared to test and search everybody, and *heavily penalize* anyone caught afoul of the regulations.
It might even be time to take all this borderline medicine out of the sport and stick to fundamentals. You can hydrate orally, you can eat, but this business of IV hydration should be stopped. It's too open to abuse.
Professional cycling is addicted to drugs and it sets a terrible example.
2006-07-28 13:16:58 · answer #2 · answered by Horny MOFO 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Things are pretty poor in cycling. If Landis is proved to be cheating then he would be the first winner of the tour to be thrown out. The fact the the tests now show things like testosterone, proves how difficult proof will be.
Due to the extremes placed on the body, it may be better to let them use drugs under supervision.
However or Where you draw the line it will not work. Someone will always try to beat the system.
2006-07-28 12:42:25 · answer #3 · answered by True B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yea. Probably.
But maybe, WADA is a bit unreasonable in its "crusade". I heard that they are thinking of making Hypoxic Tents/Equipment illegal.
Is this a drug? Crossing the line a bit, I think. On the list there are ALL kinds of drugs that are illegal.
Don't know. I wonder what prompted this proposal. And wonder if UCI will adapt this on their list if WADA proposes.
And is it me that the UCI is too accomodating to WADA, when other sports are not (I don't know- could this be true?). Could this be putting un-due negative PR for the sport of cycling?
Sorry for the rant.
Cheers, and good riding!
2006-07-30 17:29:03 · answer #4 · answered by em_info2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, because people are trying to push the limit. This years drug will be legal in five years time. It is a matter of being caught.
2006-07-30 00:20:05 · answer #5 · answered by brogdenuk 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's possible, but not probable. and as hard as some of the stages have been in the tour the last couple of years, i think they should let cyclists use EPO, espeically the sprinters, or they won't even be able to finish the race at the rate which stages on the tour get harder and harder.
2006-07-29 13:36:32 · answer #6 · answered by doc_jhholliday 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
where threes a way there all-ways a will too try something new Drugs are so advances now Ada's riders will try and get around this sun will fall sum will will
2006-07-29 08:20:11 · answer #7 · answered by rob c 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I'm afraid so.
2006-07-28 12:29:50 · answer #8 · answered by nonconformiststraightguy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋