BMC statement on Frei A EPO positive

[bicing]

Frei was honest about his dishonesty. This means he has thrown his cycling career in the toilet.

He should have denied doping, hired a bunch of lawyers to obfuscate the process, then won some races after serving his suspension to prove that in fact he was previously clean and to gain the respect of his peers, the UCI, and cycling fans everywhere.

He probably would do that if he could actually win races. He can't compete on the same level clean so he's giving up.

 

[longtimelistener-1sttimecaller]

It doen't matter how long the suspensions for riders are, they can always get more riders. Pro cycling can only ever stand a chance of being clean if they can get rid of the facilitators, the doctors who run doping cells, the team managers who either help organise it or at the very least turn a blind eye to it until their guy gets caught, and last but far from least the international governing body who cares only for a sport that "looks clean". Attacking only the riders is like trying to solve the drug problem in the US by trying to arrest all the customers while ignoring the importation channels. The fact is that is what we have always done there and we are no closer to solving that than we were when we started.

spot on. we cant expect riders not to give in to the temptation. as frei says, its just too hard not to. we should be looking at serious consequences for facilitators of doping. lifetime bans and even prison for people who knowingly aid and abet cheats systemically. i know it sounds harsh but there will always be riders who think they can beat the system. we have to take away the means by which they are doing it.

 

[petesam]

For every clean amateur out there who would love to be a pro there is a jerk like him squashing that dream

I'd counter that Thomas Frei is one of the guys who doesn't sound like a jerk. As he said, everybody's doing it. You either have your morals, don't dope, and end up slow and poor - or you take the risk of being caught and jump on the band wagon. At least you'll be able to make a living while you can. I think the guys like Ricco are the jerks - hypocritical and not even slightly repentant.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Frei highlights why so many of the positive tests in the sport are given by lowly ranked riders.
On the one hand, there is the prospect of success and fortune. On the other, you only have the financial means to take the risky (cheap) PED route in your attempt to climb the greasy poll.

The doping anomaly seems to be likes of DDL, who fell to CERA, after the 2008 Tour unveiled the test.

Although, the Italians seem all set to experience another "high level anomaly", at the hands of Pat's PR passport.

 

[Indurain]

Thomas Frei sounds like an awesome guy. No lies, no excuses, puts the responsibility where it lies. He has one shot of comfortably supporting himself and family both now and after cycling and he took it. Unfortunately for him it failed.

There are many cyclist now and in the past who have made a healthy living from doping, where before that their only options were the mines, farms, etc. Sport is a very short career. I don't blame them for taking all they can get while they can. I just hope they aren't hurting themselves too much. In fact with how hard pro cycling currently is, what is worse for their bodies, to dope or not to dope. I think it is a fine line.

I personaly would not dope due to religous reasons (I trust God will provide a way for me to support my family) but there are many non-athletes who lose their morals for less money than that, or those that cheat in a monopoly or rugby game to gain an illegal advantage. Is one any worse than the other. I don't think so. Who here would do something slightly immoral if it meant the easy life financially for our families?

Money and power corrupts. It's human nature. Let's not judge him for his decision to dope (as we are just as bad if we have cheated in the past), but rather lets congratulate him on his decision and honesty to take personal responsibility (sounds like a good sign he may not be planning on returning to cycling - not many can and remain competitive and clean).

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

I have merged all the Frei threads into one.

Susan

 

[Roland Rat]

spot on. we cant expect riders not to give in to the temptation. as frei says, its just too hard not to. we should be looking at serious consequences for facilitators of doping. lifetime bans and even prison for people who knowingly aid and abet cheats systemically. i know it sounds harsh but there will always be riders who think they can beat the system. we have to take away the means by which they are doing it.

Another +1.

The cyclists are just disposable pawns in higher games, when one leaves another one is brought in to take the place. It's the managers, "doctors" etc that need busting, not just the riders. It's like trying to mop the floor without turning the tap off.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Thomas Frei sounds like an awesome guy. No lies, no excuses, puts the responsibility where it lies. He has one shot of comfortably supporting himself and family both now and after cycling and he took it. Unfortunately for him it failed.

There are many cyclist now and in the past who have made a healthy living from doping, where before that their only options were the mines, farms, etc. Sport is a very short career. I don't blame them for taking all they can get while they can. I just hope they aren't hurting themselves too much. In fact with how hard pro cycling currently is, what is worse for their bodies, to dope or not to dope. I think it is a fine line.

I personaly would not dope due to religous reasons (I trust God will provide a way for me to support my family) but there are many non-athletes who lose their morals for less money than that, or those that cheat in a monopoly or rugby game to gain an illegal advantage. Is one any worse than the other. I don't think so. Who here would do something slightly immoral if it meant the easy life financially for our families?

Money and power corrupts. It's human nature. Let's not judge him for his decision to dope (as we are just as bad if we have cheated in the past), but rather lets congratulate him on his decision and honesty to take personal responsibility (sounds like a good sign he may not be planning on returning to cycling - not many can and remain competitive and clean).

What a load of bull ****! Please do not compare Frei to any forumite on here. I have cheated but not to that fraudulent extent. He is sorry now because he got caught!

 

[Race Radio]

Tejay van Garderen twitter comments on Frei

Also that he would have continued, so his only regret was getting caught. And of course he was 'honest'. Kinda hard to deny a pos test
about 4 hours ago via web

Regarding my previous tweet. He was 'honest' about saying he cared more about the money than integrity. 110k not enough?
about 4 hours ago via web

Just read ****head frei's article on cyclingnews. That guy is so full of ****. Makes my blood boil how he can have no respect for our sport.

 

[santacruz]

dang, this little helper monkey was making $110,000??? and he wanted more?? what a jerk... that's a lot of money for a small fry imo.. i'd certainly be happy to be the mule of the team making half that money, lol.

I personaly would not dope due to religous reasons

forget how it cheats your fellow man who is riding alongside you clean, or the kids who look up to you and your awesome results, you don't dope because of the repercussions you may incur from some supposed bearded guy floating in the sky??

(I trust God will provide a way for me to support my family)

Is it god providing a way or is it your luck, demographic, and geographic? Where is his support to the starving and dying families in less fortunate parts of the world, where they don't have time to worry about dopers in tights??

 

[Escarabajo]

dang, this little helper monkey was making $110,000??? and he wanted more?? what a jerk... that's a lot of money for a small fry imo.. i'd certainly be happy to be the mule of the team making half that money, lol.

I disgree with you. He is an athlete riding in a high profile team. He needs to get as much as he can when he can. Once he is out of cycling he'll probably try to get by with what he earned. Like starting a business or whatever. Otherwise will be Misseryland.

 

[Bala Verde]

I disgree with you. He is an athlete riding in a high profile team. He needs to get as much as he can when he can. Once he is out of cycling he'll probably try to get by with what he earned. Like starting a business or whatever. Otherwise will be Misseryland.

yup, assuming you retire from cycling at 38, you still have a long way to go... And health care costs isn't going down Not everyone can become a DS, not enough teams.

 

[santacruz]

I just thought small fries made like 25-50k.

 

[Ferminal]

Tejay van Garderen twitter comments on Frei

Who's cleaner, T-Mobile or Phonak?

 

[Kender]

Who's cleaner, T-Mobile or Phonak?

comparing mud pies with mud cakes

 

[exespoir]

Frei is a perfect example of a subject for this forum. Otherwise the clinic is pure dialectic and rhetorical as fun as it may be.....too often I agree with most on this forum who realize that the sport is still largely driven by drugs from a sport that created doping itself that a response becomes pointless.

His confession is awesome which, despite whether its true or not, shows a reality that many american and velonews posters who are new to the sport could never realize.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Frei's confession was part of Toto this week.

 

[CycloErgoSum]

As disheartening as it is that so many riders are doping, it is admirable of Thomas Frei to admit the scope and motivations of his EPO usage.

It is telling that he said his 'inner circle' knew about it, however he stopped short of revealing any systemic doping. His statement that he knew nothing about Messrs Vinokorov, Kessler et al whilst at Astana in 2007 doesn't ring true.

Has he broken the so-called Omerta, or has he been enough of a contrite, lonesome rogue to once again return in 2012?

 

[joe_papp]

As disheartening as it is that so many riders are doping, it is admirable of Thomas Frei to admit the scope and motivations of his EPO usage.

It is telling that he said his 'inner circle' knew about it, however he stopped short of revealing any systemic doping. His statement that he knew nothing about Messrs Vinokorov, Kessler et al whilst at Astana in 2007 doesn't ring true.

Has he broken the so-called Omerta, or has he been enough of a contrite, lonesome rogue to once again return in 2012?

Interested to know if you consider Frei to be admirable or self-serving/cynical?

 

[goggalor]

Tejay van Garderen twitter comments on Frei

Also that he would have continued, so his only regret was getting caught. And of course he was 'honest'. Kinda hard to deny a pos test
about 4 hours ago via web

Regarding my previous tweet. He was 'honest' about saying he cared more about the money than integrity. 110k not enough?
about 4 hours ago via web

Just read ****head frei's article on cyclingnews. That guy is so full of ****. Makes my blood boil how he can have no respect for our sport.

A few hours later...

Got in a couple hour ride today with @lancearmstrong in a place where the beer flows like wine.

Also, "Kinda hard to deny a pos test"... you'd be surprised!

 

[frenchfry]

A few hours later...



Also, "Kinda hard to deny a pos test"... you'd be surprised!

Disappointing to see the new generation so willing to walk in the merde of their doping elders. Omerta lives, long live omerta. Doping forever!

 

[Beech Mtn]

Thomas Frei just tweeted:

**10.10.31**

Is there any chance he got a 6 month ban?
I admit there's a good chance I'm jumping to conclusions here. Just wondering . . . .

 

[Straßenrennen]

wonder who he sold out to get that then ^^.

 

[filipo]

From CN:

According to the Swiss website Blick.ch, Swiss Antidoping had offered Frei a deal. He would receive only a six-month ban if he would name those who had helped him. When Frei rejected that offer, they asked that he be banned for four years and fined 7500 CHF.

Omerta's lookin' goooood!

 

[Big GMaC]

From CN:


Omerta's lookin' goooood!

He is taking the 4 with a good chance of a contract at the other end, rather than the 6 with no hope...