A Blowin' Boonen in Belgium

[Steel4Ever]

It appears that Tommy Boy has to pay a paltry 1000 Euro's (US$1500?) in order to cover his crimes. That's right, crimes -- plural. 1) using an illegal substance, 2) breaking the terms of his probation from his first trip to the nose candy store.

I may be horribly mistaken, but didn't the judge say if the probation rules were broken, Booney would end up in the clink?

I think Belgium's new tourism slogan should be, "Party on, dudes...cheap!"

Whatever. Guess they all dope in one form or another.
That's entertainment!

 

[Anonymous]

It appears that Tommy Boy has to pay a paltry 1000 Euro's (US$1500?) in order to cover his crimes. That's right, crimes -- plural. 1) using an illegal substance, 2) breaking the terms of his probation from his first trip to the nose candy store.

I may be horribly mistaken, but didn't the judge say if the probation rules were broken, Booney would end up in the clink?

I think Belgium's new tourism slogan should be, "Party on, dudes...cheap!"

Whatever. Guess they all dope in one form or another.
That's entertainment!

If it's any consolation the Belgian press is really ruthless when it comes to Boonen. I don't think he has many friends in the printed media.

 

[Dude17]

It appears that Tommy Boy has to pay a paltry 1000 Euro's (US$1500?) in order to cover his crimes. That's right, crimes -- plural. 1) using an illegal substance, 2) breaking the terms of his probation from his first trip to the nose candy store.

I may be horribly mistaken, but didn't the judge say if the probation rules were broken, Booney would end up in the clink?

I think Belgium's new tourism slogan should be, "Party on, dudes...cheap!"

Whatever. Guess they all dope in one form or another.
That's entertainment!

I think it comes down to how do you want to fight drugs? Do you want to throw the user in jail or get him treatment? I'd rather that Boonen get some help for his problem rather than spending time in jail.

 

[fatandfast]

I lived in Belgium and I did take drugs. I ate lots of kebabs and love to curry ketchup. Belgium is not boring if you like factory scenes and disco. Tom will have shirt unbuttoned this winter, with a nice big gold chain ala Saturday Night Fever and will be tootin' and eating x with the rest of the house/trance grommets. Party on Tom.

 

[**Uru**]

I think it comes down to how do you want to fight drugs? Do you want to throw the user in jail or get him treatment? I'd rather that Boonen get some help for his problem rather than spending time in jail.

+1

I do not think throwing a drug user in jail really solves anything (for the user or for society). I think they got the right idea in Belgium. Now if we could only do something similar in the states....

 

[ridley]

Maybe Tommeke should just get a cleaner, healthier, cheaper addiction

Not that should include women, as they are rarely cheaper

 

[pedaling squares]

+1

I do not think throwing a drug user in jail really solves anything (for the user or for society). I think they got the right idea in Belgium. Now if we could only do something similar in the states....

This theory is more relevant to the poor addled crackhead who is stealing to feed an addiction. They are more prone to have pale, emaciated bodies than bulging quadriceps; more Rasmussen than Boonen. Boonen is no addict, he's a spoiled party boy who ignored the break the court gave him in the first place, which to me is a bigger issue than a little snort of cocaine. Jail is not the answer, but a paltry fine just makes a joke out of their legal system.

 

[Steel4Ever]

...the court gave him in the first place, which to me is a bigger issue than a little snort of cocaine. Jail is not the answer, but a paltry fine just makes a joke out of their legal system.

Exactly my point.
The dude "earns" millions of $$$ per year and they give him a monetary fine? Laughable.

It's almost to point where bike racing is 50% about what happens on the road and 50% about all the off-road controversies. Soap opera on wheels.

As I said before -- That's entertainment!


(Squares -- I'm in BC too!)

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe Tommeke should just get a cleaner, healthier, cheaper addiction

Not that should include women, as they are rarely cheaper

Well, teenage girls are not usually super demanding. Like I said, the Belgian press is brutal.

 

[thehog]

Tom Boonen talked with Holland Sport about his turbulent season. He confesses to being very drunk the night before his positive test for cocaine, but says that he still does not know exactly what happened. He has been seeing a therapist since the incident and has found it helpful, saying that he no longer needs to drink to deal with stage fright.
____

 

[Janull]

According to the article, Tom was quoted as saying, "If I go out, then I have no need to drink heavily." Hmm. . .so sometimes he DOES "need" to drink heavily? And he's into competitive drinking, so much so that he blacks out and can't remember that he used some coke? Hmm. . . . And he tested positive for cocaine by being NEAR someone who was using cocaine? Hmm. . . it gets curiouser and curiouser. It sounds to me like Tom may have an addiction to alcohol. I hope someone who understands the disease of alcoholism can help him figure out what he needs to do to protect his career and his life. Jail won't help him. He's not stupid. And if he has alcoholism, he won't be able to "control" it. I think he already tried that after his first positive test and failed. I think he's a great rider and a great guy--I hope he gets the help he needs and not a bunch of people covering up for him.

 

[flicker]

In addition

I agree with Janull. In addition I think Cocaine will tear a life apart quicker than any drug except Methamphetamine.
Cocaine causes permanent psycological change/damage.
I.E. "I tested positive because I was in a room with active cocaine users."
Boonen' you are lying to yourself.
Gotta say I kinda like the liberal recreational drug laws in Holland and Belguim though.
Obviously they serve Boonen. Good luck Tom.

 

[ak-zaaf]

I agree with Janull. In addition I think Cocaine will tear a life apart quicker than any drug except Methamphetamine.

Heroin, Alcohol....?


Most people here can't even afford to get a real coke addiction.

 

[ggusta]

If you lived in Belgium you would take drugs too. We all would. It's the most boring country on the planet.

I met two very lovely Belgian girls whilst traveling in Jaiselmer India in the mid 80's. Very nice. I remember them telling me that Belgian Indep day (can't recall when it was) was always a rainy day.

The only other belgian I have known was a photographer living in Durham NC. Very angry, complete blowhard, definitely thought Americans were crap, but of course was doing all he could to maintain his ability to live and work here. Good artist but not a good as he thought he was.

And he totally took advantage of our business, but that's another story.

As usual, my conclusion is that people are the same everywhere. Some jerks, some wonderful, most in-between.

 

[ggusta]

+1

I do not think throwing a drug user in jail really solves anything (for the user or for society). I think they got the right idea in Belgium. Now if we could only do something similar in the states....

Depends on the person and the situation. A guy doing it recreationally needs a kick in the pants. I'd say 30 days for a 1st offense. If he wants to leave for Amsterdam or whatever to live in a land of leniency, the door is always open. Bon chance.

If he's a hard core junkie, he proobably has already been in the can to no avail, so you may be right, the jail time might not help him stop, but it might keep him from harming me, my family and my property. Yours, too.

At some point, jail is just to separate the harmful from the harmless.

I say give him 30 days. Why take a few dollars? If 1500 euros fell out of his wallet would he even stop to pick it up? His freedom, yeah, that might set an alarm off.

 

[Cobber]

Heroin, Alcohol....?


Most people here can't even afford to get a real coke addiction.

+1..... not to mention the fact that his hair analysis showed very low levels of cocaine, that were suggestive of transient or even completely accidental use.

 

[rgmerk]

Frankly, I don't see that the criminal law should be involved at all here.

Firstly, it's not really a cycling matter. Boonen wasn't trying, nor did he get, an advantage by taking cocaine.

Secondly, the only person he was hurting was himself. I really don't see the point in punishing people for that.

 

[flicker]

hey mate

Check out what I wrote before.

I have a 9 year old son missing a Mom, Uncle and Great Uncle behind drugs/alcohol.
We used to sprint to our house down our block he Boonen and me Betini.
Now we don't mention Boonen. I asked him why and he said Boonen doesn't ride anymore he used drugs.
What can I say, I have a good kid. Is Boonen a good child?

 

[sniper]

so is Boonen one of the two classicómanos?

 

[ElChingon]

so is Boonen one of the two classicómanos?

Doubtful, he'd of had a more Belgian connection than that.

 

[ljpoyz]

Surely the authorities have more problems than jailing someone for recreational cocaine use. Something that would be legal if they could tax it...

Depends on the person and the situation. A guy doing it recreationally needs a kick in the pants. I'd say 30 days for a 1st offense. If he wants to leave for Amsterdam or whatever to live in a land of leniency, the door is always open. Bon chance.

If he's a hard core junkie, he proobably has already been in the can to no avail, so you may be right, the jail time might not help him stop, but it might keep him from harming me, my family and my property. Yours, too.

At some point, jail is just to separate the harmful from the harmless.

I say give him 30 days. Why take a few dollars? If 1500 euros fell out of his wallet would he even stop to pick it up? His freedom, yeah, that might set an alarm off.