Alberto Contador suspended until August 2012 (loses all results July 2010 - Jan 2012)

[rhubroma]

But they didn't. They agreed to CAS putting back the hearings twice. Were I a conspiracy theorist I might surmise that they talked with Contador, suggested that it was game up now the media had it, that sorry they had to be seen to doing something, but if the delays were long enough he would only actually serve a short suspension if found guilty...you know IF I was a conspiracy theorist.

Hence Pat's " It's a sad day for cycling quote"...which should have been, "It's a sad day for cycling 'cos we didnt get him a full two year suspension.

But apparently according to Benoitt I am Darach Mcquaid...so what would I know?

ph...p.s congrats on that one too Benoitt you "knowledge" is astounding!

But they did and with all means available to them. What does agreeing with CAS delaying the hearings have to do with anything? That's not for them took decide. But who took recourse to CAS, after what the Spanish decided, in the first place?

The only reason the UCI let the Spaniard go was that, hypocritically, it was no longer willing, and probably because of the devastating damage that Landis' accusations toward the governing body of cycling did, to shield him as they once shielded Armstrong. It must be a painful and undesirable hypocrisy, but a hypocrisy nonetheless.

Everything else is just BS to me.

 

[thehog]

Five-time Tour champion Eddy Merckx tells The Associated Press ''it's like someone wants to kill cycling.''

Contador was stripped of his 2010 Tour title on Monday when the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected his claim that his positive doping test was caused by eating contaminated meat. The Spanish cyclist joined Floyd Landis as the only other rider to lose a Tour de France title.

Oscar Perreiro, who was elevated to 2006 champion after Landis was stripped, calls the verdict ''disgraceful'' and claims Contador ''is innocent.''

http://msn.foxsports.com/cycling/story/Contador-doping-verdict-another-blow-for-cycling-89772016

 

[VeloCity]

I don't have much sympathy for Contador but I feel kind of bad for Andy - he has enough trouble getting cycling fans to take him seriously and that's going to be even tougher now that he's a Tour de France winner in the same way that Oscar Pereiro is a Tour de France winner. Not that I think Andy is/was any cleaner than Contador, mind you.

 

[straydog]

You really, really dont have a clue, do you?

They did not bust him for a blood transfusion though, did they?

Your only evidence is that Contador has a foundation, wow earth shattering stuff. My problem is not with with people having foundations but using said foundation to cover their tracks.

If Contador has had plenty to say on why he would never dope, then bring it. Should be easy to find.

As for 1999, I dont need wikipedia to look back through events. I have all the phsyical copies of magazines, newspaper articles etc at home. I also have my memory which works very well.

In 1999 Kimmage said he refused to believe in miracles and was not going to applaud the performances of Armstrong because he didnt believe in them.

Likewise Walsh who wasnt even reporting on cycling at the time, however he knew Armstrong was a fraud from 1999 onward and that is why he got back on his case. The first book published by Walsh & Ballester was way before 2004. It was Walsh who was gonna reveal the Ferrari connection in 01 so yes, he also knew.

The reason nobody sided with Bassons was because as one magazine put it "Armstrong was exactly what the Tour needed and was the perfect winner". The Cnacer card trumped all.

The start was not 1993 but 99.

Really?....Link please.

And Walsh wasn't reporting on cycling? He was chief sports writer at the Sunday Times from 1996 until 2006....he wrote about cycling plenty.

And really if you don't know how to use google or indeed the search function on this site to find Contador's numerous denials of doping or ever having doped or why he refused to provide a DNA sample to Operation Puerto then honestly I can't be bothered to educate you.

As I have said plenty....and which you find ever so difficult to get your head around....I couldn't care less if Conatdor is a good guy or a bad guy. He is a doper...he failed his test....deal with it honey

Peace

 

[Der Effe]

I, as the president, treasurer, head of marketing and only member of the Andy Schleck fanclub just got off the phone with Andy. He told me about the irony of him winning the 2010 TdF. He said, and I quote: "Alberto won the 2010 tour because of a chain, now I win it back because of a chain reaction."

Off to buy myself some booze and party like it's 1999!

 

[straydog]

I, as the president, treasurer, head of marketing and only member of the Andy Schleck fanclub just got off the phone with Andy. He told me about the irony of him winning the 2010 TdF. He said, and I quote: "Alberto won the 2010 tour because of a chain, now I win it back because of a chain reaction."

Off to buy myself some booze and party like it's 1999!

Nice work!. Ha ha...again I like! Bravo.

 

[skidmark]

Yeah, and get myself banned. No way.

C'mon Florecita. Let loose and get banned. In solidarity! Figure out how many rules you have to transgress to get banned until August 5th, it'll be like symmetry, you and Alberto will be as one.

 

[avanti]

I just started resading the forum so I appologize if this was already mentioned.

"The Panel concluded that both the meat contamination scenario and the blood transfusion scenario were, in theory, possible explanations for the adverse analytical findings, but were however equally unlikely. In the Panel’s opinion, on the basis of the evidence adduced, the presence of clenbuterol was more likely caused by the ingestion of a contaminated food supplement."
(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cas-sanction-contador-with-two-year-ban-in-clenbuterol-case)


Food supplements, at least in the USA, are not subjected to strict quality control (thanks to politicians) and are often contaminated with other products (especially if the ingredients come from certain Asian countries).

But it is disgraceful that it has taken this long to come to a conclusion in this case. In my opinion a rider must be disciplined within 6-weeks of a test or not at all.

This case has been unfair not only to Contador but to other riders, teams, race promoters, and advertisers.

 

[LaFlorecita]

"Muchos ánimos Contador, yo también estoy contigo!!!!!"
@andresiniesta8

A Barcelona player supporting a Madrileño.

 

[Fidolix]

If the UCI wants you racing, then that's exactly how it works. CAS at least did the right thing. The issue is with the UCI, not so much CAS. There's no way clenbuterol gets in your system by accident. None.

I´m sorry but that is BS.

An independent laboratory conducted a study of random tourists and business men who returned from China, and more than half had traces of Clen, so unless you think it is impossible to incorporate clen into the body via food then they would all be doped according to your logic.

So I guess you know more than the scientists.

 

[Cimber]

What rules? Saxo only won the Ronde as WT event last year, not good enough to be WT. Or aren't they following their own rules?

On the other hand if Contador hadnt been on the team the other riders would probably have won more races themselves

 

[VeloCity]

Nope. Doubts were raised about Armstrong as early as halfway through the '99 Tour, ie before he'd even won his first one. I'll see if I can find the link, but there's a quote from a French journalist about the disgust in the press room during Armstrong's stage-winning ride to Sestrieres among cycling journalists, as it was coming right on the heels of the Festina affair. In other words, there were a lot of knowledgeable folks who doubted he was clean before he'd even won his first Tour.

Even so, what does it matter? Armstrong was a doper, he doped to win all 7 Tours - that's pretty much undeniable now. And like it or not, Kimmage and Walsh and Lemond and the rest were right all along. All else is pretty much irrelevant.

 

[palmerq]

I don't have much sympathy for Contador but I feel kind of bad for Andy - he has enough trouble getting cycling fans to take him seriously and that's going to be even tougher now that he's a Tour de France winner in the same way that Oscar Pereiro is a Tour de France winner. Not that I think Andy is/was any cleaner than Contador, mind you.

winning it this way isnt too much different from contadors first tour win :S shame andy didnt get to ride into paris as the winner but that's the way it... Does anyone think if andy ever manages to win another tour they will play the spanish anthem for him, there seemed to be some trouble indentifying that one in the past :S



Bad luck for alberto seems he has lost on a technicality, that he argued the wrong thing, although why he didnt say a contaminated food supplement from the start I don't know... Although that does make it seem a bit more suspicious to me, maybe they would have had an easier time disproving than a complicated dodgy beef story... I would be amazed if he wasnt doping but seeing the cas say they dont believe it was caused by a transfusion makes me think it could well have been an accident...

he's got a very good deal here, I see everyone here still counts him as the winner of the races he won and he is only banned for half a season, back in time for the vuelta, good deal allround I guess

Oh well this'll make this years tour pretty interesting now

 

[DirtyWorks]

I´m sorry but that is BS.

An independent laboratory conducted a study of random tourists and business men who returned from China, and more than half had traces of Clen, so unless you think it is impossible to incorporate clen into the body via food then they would all be doped according to your logic.

So I guess you know more than the scientists.

I think I didn't write very clearly so there's a misunderstanding. The meat supplies in China and Mexico are two examples where Clen could be ingested by eating meat. (cow, chicken and others) There is documented/studied clen abuse in meat suppliers in those countries.

The food safety system works extremely well in the EU. Spain and the EU in general it is reasonably impossible to ingest Clen by eating meat. The consequences to the rancher are too severe for even a half-wit to assume the risk. For Contador's team to employ this excuse was an obvious insult to many.

I find it interesting CAS offered a much more legitimate excuse for him. I don't follow CAS. Do they do this kind of thing in other disciplines?

 

[pmcg76]

Really?....Link please.

And Walsh wasn't reporting on cycling? He was chief sports writer at the Sunday Times from 1996 until 2006....he wrote about cycling plenty.

And really if you don't know how to use google or indeed the search function on this site to find Contador's numerous denials of doping or ever having doped or why he refused to provide a DNA sample to Operation Puerto then honestly I can't be bothered to educate you.

As I have said plenty....and which you find ever so difficult to get your head around....I couldn't care less if Conatdor is a good guy or a bad guy. He is a doper...he failed his test....deal with it honey

Peace

ProCycling magazine, Tour review Issue 1999. I would write which page but I am not in my home country at the moment so a little difficult to remember. Dont think its available anywhere online but as I said, I have the physical copies at home.

In case you didnt notice, the Sunday Times is not a cycling newspaper and chief sports writer is not equal to cycling journalist. He might have done occasional articles but that was it. He started to refocus on doping and cycling post 99. Same as Kimmage was not a cycling specific journalist.

Aw, the lament of the loser. Makes a claim, refuses to back it up and wants the other person to do the research for which they made the claims.

As I said before I dont have a problem with Contador being sanctioned or testing positive so I have nothing to deal with really. I understand this sport and what is required to get where they are so I have no real hate for dopers per se. I would love to see them all banned and a clean sport but thats fantasy land really.

 

[Paco_P]

I'm really surprised by the amount of support Contador receives from other/former riders.

He didn't do anything all of them didn't do, he's a better natural rider than almost all of them and they know it, and they like his style and aggression in the style.

 

[moi123]

What a decision, what a ridiculous case. Cycling is officially dead.

 

[VeloCity]

Oh well this'll make this years tour pretty interesting now

It will, but at the same time people will say about the winner "well he only won because Contador wasn't there", unfortunately.

 

[straydog]

ProCycling magazine, Tour review Issue 1999. I would write which page but I am not in my home country at the moment so a little difficult to remember. Dont think its available anywhere online but as I said, I have the physical copies at home.



Aw, the lament of the loser. Makes a claim, refuses to back it up and wants the other person to do the research for which they made the claims.

No my friend....have a look back...I never made a claim...you claimed I made a claim.

And considering your proof is something you say you read in procycling but cannot provide evidence for I will for the moment ignore it, and the inherent irony involved.

One last time....I have never said that Contador is as big or bad or whatever adjective you want to pick, as Armstrong....just that to me it is irrelevant...his doping is the point....and people giving him a pass 'cos he's a nice guy are ridiculous....how are you finding that so hard to understand?

 

[palmerq]

oh no armstrong again :S... Lets leave lance out this thread, there's really no need for anyone to be discussing him here...

 

[Scirea]

I'm really surprised by the amount of support Contador receives from other/former riders.

Kinda tells you something...

 

[pastronef]

http://www.twitter.com/FrandysBikeShop
Of course if they had found in favor of Bert, UCI would have been sued by Li Fuyu, a former RS rider. That would have been hysterical.

 

[pmcg76]

No my friend....have a look back...I never made a claim...you claimed I made a claim.

And considering your proof is something you say you read in procycling but cannot provide evidence for I will for the moment ignore it, and the inherent irony involved.

One last time....I have never said that Contador is as big or bad or whatever adjective you want to pick, as Armstrong....just that to me it is irrelevant...his doping is the point....and people giving him a pass 'cos he's a nice guy are ridiculous....how are you finding that so hard to understand?

No one is giving him a pass, the only people who dont want to see him sanctioned are his fans.

It is inherently inbuilt in human nature to be more forgiving of people who dont act like tools regardless of the crime. If 10 people commit the same crime but one got more rich powerful and rich than the others because he done a lot of undesirebale deeds outside of the actual crime, you can bet that they will be the person who people will want to see fall hardest. Its really not hard to understand. Just why was Riccardo Ricco disliked by his fellow pros more than other proven dopers like Millar, Basso etc.

I know you dont care for that but that say more about how your moral compass is out of skew than anything.

 

[Paco_P]

What happened to the comparison of other cases with infected meat? How come they came out as not guilty but Berto does? Where's the difference?

Because the farm/farmer from which the meat he supposedly ate probably came was identified with some reliability, and there was no evidence of clenbuterol use there, because none of its cattle had been tested for clenbuterol, and although the farmer's brother had been previously convicted of fattening his cattle with clenbuterol.

Precisely the ruling agrees that:
3.2 kg of meat was purchased on a precise date at Larrezabal butcher shop in Irun, Spain and transported to France by Contador's friend.
That Contador ate the meat when he says he did.
The price of the meat indicates that it was a tenderloin from a ternera (what is perhaps not quite accurately translated as "veal").
Only one supplier (Mallabia) sold meat of this sort to Larrezabal during the relevant time period.
The meat was traced back to the Felipe Rebollo slaughterhouse in Castilla and Leon.
From the slaughterhouse the meat was traced back to the farmer Lucio Carabias.
None of the slaughtered animals had been identified as suspicious for things like clenbuterol.
All this was evidence provided by official inspectors from the Basque government (Irun is the Basque country).
The brother of Lucio Carabias was convicted of using clenbuterol in animals in 1996. He died in 2010. The ruling rejects guilt by association (although later it invokes it against Contador in the context of his beloning to teams full of known and suspected dopers). Lots of reasons why this is irrelevant are given. The main one is that 1996 is before specific EU rules against things like clenbuterol went into effect.

Relevant pages of the ruling are in the 60's.

I think Contador is as guilty as the next guy, AND I think this ruling is one of the shoddiest pieces of work I've read.

 

[WildspokeJoe]

ban was correct.

unfortunately having the money to lawyer up and delay things for a year and a half utterly changed the face of any race he competed in -- once more ridiculing pro cycling.

i also think both scarponi and schlecklet are just as dirty.

floyd is no longer alone.

Succinct and spot on.

Clem was in his system.
He never claimed otherwise.
This is a zero tolerance drug.

He should have been given a two-year ban at the onset.

My hope is that he breaks the omerta and spills his guts.
But he won’t as he’s only serving a 5-month suspension.