Boonen on coke - again!?

[The GCW]

Prohibitionists are the problem; not Tom.

Using the word junkie to discribe a person who responsibly uses cocaine is ignorant.

Kazistuta in post #16 uses the word, “faults.”

Tom is a responsible adult. Using the substance cocaine is not a “fault” unless used irresponsibly. The “fault” is in the hands of prohibitionists who want to control responsible adults and punsih them for doing activities that they don’t approve of.

If Tom used cocaine, who cares, other than prohibitionists who stick their nose in other people business?

If a person is doing performance enhancing substances to help athletic ability… then that’s Our business.

If someone is drinking a beer or wine or using cannabis or cocaine after work on their personal time that’s not Our business.

Those who think Tom should be punished for using cocaine are prohibiitionists.

I am not of the prohibitionist crowd.

Prohibitionists are part of the problem.

Prohibitionists are the ones who should be punished.

Prohibitionists are harming responsible humans.

-0-

Another example: Olympic gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps gets caught using the relatively safe, socially acceptable, God-given plant cannabis (marijuana) and prohibitionists want to put the man in a cage.

For the UCI or WADA or any other sporting sanction to punish responsible adults for using recreational substances outside of competition discredits the efforts to eliminate performance enhancing substances for competition.

-0-

Responsible cocaine use should not be something We humans allow prohibitionists to cage humans over.

 

[Parrot23]

Two questions

1) Does anyone know who did the out of competition test? Sports drugs testers or the police?

2) Why is Boonen, or any other pro cyclist, tested for non-performance enhancing drugs? What's the rationale?

I can see if it were the police or non-cycling authorities testing him vis-a-vis the conditions, perhaps, from his previous run-in with the law. Okay, that's kosher. It's a police matter: fair game.

But what on earth is the legal authority for sports drug testing authorities to be testing for non-performance enhancing drugs? Are the sports drug testers overstepping their authority?

Say you're a govt. body that regulates TV/radio standards, bandwidths, etc. Well, you/they can't then go out and start regulating something like automobile emission standards, too. It would be illegal; there's no statutory authority for YOU to do that. That's another dept's job. and it certainly shouldn't be yours.

And if the UCI/WADA/national authorities have statutory authority to test for non-performance enhancing drugs, then that's out of a sense of excessive prurience about non-related subjects--and that's a moral vice in itself. It's wrong. It smacks of hypocrisy, condescension, etc. There are bigger fish to fry. Stick to your jobs.

 

[ingsve]

you sure you not getting cocaine and crack cocaine muddled up.. :?

Does it matter? Crack cocaine is just a derivative from powder cocaine but is just as addictive and just as harmful so it doesn't really matter which one he used. The only diffrence is the high they give and the cost.

And yes it seems that cocain in the last few years has become more and more common as a recreational drug. That doesn't make the case less severe if he in fact is addicted.

 

[Bala Verde]

pfff, a little coke...


so this guy likes to use a nice little drug during his time off. so what?



he might be a rolemodel, but he sure didn't sign up for that himself. i'd hate to see him miss the tour again beacuse of this. so hypocritical.

but maybe he just loved last july's time off.

+1.

Completely agree, and especially what you said about the role-model-role they are supposed to have. Parent's are largely responsible for the actions of their children (that's why they often have to co-sign as the legal guardian of the children, not Boonen). If their kids use coke and get addicted to it, I really don't think Boonen had anything to do with it.

When it happens, I think one should start finding clues about coke (ab)use by looking at the immediate environment someone finds himself in. Their home, county, state, school, social relations.

 

[Kazistuta]

Kazistuta in post #16 uses the word, “faults.”

Tom is a responsible adult. Using the substance cocaine is not a “fault” unless used irresponsibly. The “fault” is in the hands of prohibitionists who want to control responsible adults and punsih them for doing activities that they don’t approve of.

"faults" signifying another rider lying to the fans with a straight face on. Hell, I'm not the one to judge what riders enjoy in their spare time, but when Tommeke seemingly didn't like to admit last year and just deal with the mass hysteria for a couple of weeks (that would be the ones you call "prohibitionists"), and now proves to the whole cycling world that he infact did use cocain last year, my sympathy is gone.

I wish Boonen the best with what seems to be an addiction (based upon his lawyers statements), but forgive me for not being quiet when yet another top rider proves to have been lying to us. Regardless of the offense (oh, by the way...where's your sympathies in the Rasmussen whereabouts case?), I don't think the riders are doing their sport any good by this constant hiding behind sad excuses.

 

[jaylew]

If you are willing to put pharmaceutical products into your body recreationally, you would be suceptible to do it to enhance your sporting performance.

Have to disagree with this.

 

[ElChingon]

From the first time he got busted I've always said that it was a criminal matter, not a sporting one -- it was out-of-competition and with an illegal substance.
...

Agreed, I felt the same way. The UCI had the steping stone to set the bar and instead stuck its head in the sand.

For those of you who don't mind him doing coke, its not about what he does on his time off, nor is it about anything to do with its impact on his cycling performance.

It is about the fact that if you (us) are caught the same amount of times doing the same thing, you'd be out of a job, unless you are as most of you state a Rock Star/Movie Star. Bike racer too? Well you're in for a rude awakening, once QuickStep realizes what they will have to front if he stays on their team they're going to dump him like, well like a bad habbit. As it is Tom has been nicknamed "Snowblower", I missed yelling that at him at the Tour of California, he had bailed already (rats!). Second, role model or not, any young asspiring kid who had a poster of him winning P-R will now ask, "Dad, what is cocaine?". No mater what the parents say, the kid might, yes might put it in his head that its ok as it will make him go faster no mater how wrong that may be since his idol did it and did go fast and win P-R he might as well try it as well. Might, didn't say will by the way. Now imagine if that kid is your loved one, is it ok then?

At the same time the UCI has the chance to actually help a racer by supporting him to get cleaned up. Cleaned up by first stopping him from racing and second by helping to get him professional help and over see it instead of walking away. Any comparisons to other riders who took extreme measures due to being on similar drugs are only reminders that this might lead down the same road and somebody needs to help things out. These people don't want it to happen and are warning to help prevent it.

Anyone who has experimented with this substance might have more insight but as anyone in the world knows, what one person can take the next one might die for the same dose as it is not regulated and who knows what people mix with it, right?

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Yes, actually he DID sign up to be a rolemodel! That's what happens when you become a professional public figure, be it American rockstar or Belgium cycling star. That in no way contracts him to be as pure as the driven snow, but if he thinks he can do whatever he wants because he is a superstar...guess again pretty boy.

Never heard of a rockstar who was suspended from singing because of drug use...

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Boonen claims he was drunk, and had a black-out. He does not remember taking the drugs, but feels guilty for crossing a border by drinking way to much. Seems that he rather has a alcohol problem than a coke problem

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/090509_boonen_interview
(in dutch)

 

[BroDeal]

Boonen claims he was drunk, and had a black-out. He does not remember taking the drugs, but feels guilty for crossing a border by drinking way to much. Seems that he rather has a alcohol problem than a coke problem

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/090509_boonen_interview
(in dutch)

Drugs, alcohol, sixteen year old girls. Life is a party when you can win P-R.

 

[Steel4Ever]

Never heard of a rockstar who was suspended from singing because of drug use...

Probably not. We could do a "contract cancellation" search to find out. Besides that, how many rockstars HAVE been busted, tried, and convicted for being caught with an illegal substance? Off the top of my head...a lot.

It also baffles me that a person who has sacrificed years of work to make his body and fitness into the pinnacle of performance -- basically his paycheque -- why he would want to **** it (his body) up with drugs and illegal actions. Hmmm, perhaps stardom does alter ones perception of reality.

Oh well,, whatever, just one more druggie on the ol' heap. With all truthfulness, it is NOT Boonen's actions that anger me, it is the actions (or non-actions) of the Belgium legal system.

 

[Steel4Ever]

Boonen claims he was drunk, and had a black-out. He does not remember taking the drugs...

An out right lie!
His original hair samples showed he took cocaine on more than one occasion! That a lot of black-outs, Tommy boy!

 

[jaylew]

His original hair samples showed he took cocaine on more than one occasion!

And ecstasy.

 

[Trafficrider]

And ecstasy.

One problem with illegal powders is they could be cut, mixed, adulterated. A very murky business. A positive for E does not necessarily mean he knowingly took it, although I would judge from the hair samples that Boonen did buy a ticket onto the old white train (coke) on more than on occasion.

I think TB should seek substance abuse counselling. As a rider I respect his formidable abilities and do not believe he should be punished for ''partying' infractions. There are superficial but non-trivial similarities between the (addictive?) drive which can produce a multiple champion in competition, and the party animal who has to outdo everybody else. Not to get moralistic or preachy. Nobody's suggesting he go to AA meetings on account of his binge drinking. I doubt that he is physically dependant on cocaine. There are serious consequences with addiction and Boonen should question his recreational choices, but this should not impact on his professional competition, where a different standard and set of rules prevail.

As for his racing, I think he is an honest rider. As a celebrity, he is under more public scrutiny than most, and like a lot of people, he has his choice of 'poisons.' Also in common with a lot of people, he has to understand his motives and appetite for all that. Nobody would deny his right to celebrate the many personal triumphs in his life but the lure of "instant gratification' that makes many recreational drugs problematic, is something that TB should question for his own sake.

The whole 'role model' argument is specious, it's a formula for hypocrisy. Lennon put it well, "Everybody's got something to hide, 'sept for me and my monkey."

 

[The GCW]

Steel4ever,

Comment #61,

I feel like the prohibitionists want people to believe doing recreational drugs will screw up a person’s body. But that isn’t the truth. The truth is that a responsible adult may use some of those substances and not harm themselves. A bike racer can spend “years of work to make his body and fitness into the pinnacle of performance” and use a little coke or cannabis and still win.

Government and prohibitionists want people to believe using cannabis, coke etc. makes a person into one unable to win and that is used as one reason to keep people from using those substances. They don’t want to let info out proving a person can use those substances and be winners.

So, “why he would want to **** it (his body) up with drugs and illegal actions.???” –doesn’t apply.

Using cannabis or coke or wine or whiskey or coffee, ecstasy etc. responsibly doesn’t “**** it up.”

When We have examples of athletes or other professionals using cannabis, coke, ecstasy etc. that win or become presidents or engeneers who design computers etc. it is proof that people can use those substances and be successful. Government doesn’t want Us to realize that because it exposes them as liars, losers, con men, prohibitionists, control freaks etc. etc.

We should all wake up to this fact because it will help add credibility to the anti doping efforts that do relate to things like cycling.

The suckers even want to pee test chess players, people who play instraments in band etc.

It’s time to treat prohibitionists like vampires. Prohibitionists harm the planet in every respect and that includes cycling.

Leave Boonen alone.

 

[hfer07]

_________________ cocaine is a hell of a drug________________________

 

[Anonymous]

Boonen claims he was drunk, and had a black-out. He does not remember taking the drugs, but feels guilty for crossing a border by drinking way to much. Seems that he rather has a alcohol problem than a coke problem

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/090509_boonen_interview
(in dutch)

i think this needs to be put in perspective... cycling in belgium is the biggest sport, boonen is gazza in this country, or dennis rodman in america.. hes a party boy, likes a few drinks, has the odd line, doesnt interfere with his job, hasnt been caught using performancing enhancing...

couple of months ban for disrepute, agree to go on a drug and alcohol course and maybe do some charity work for young drug users.. move on...

apart from anything else if he cant ride the tour, its going to make cavvys green jersey a little less valid..

Does it matter? Crack cocaine is just a derivative from powder cocaine but is just as addictive and just as harmful so it doesn't really matter which one he used. The only diffrence is the high they give and the cost.

And yes it seems that cocain in the last few years has become more and more common as a recreational drug. That doesn't make the case less severe if he in fact is addicted.

crack cocaine smoked by american drop outs in back alleys for $5 a pipe, can in no way be compared with the sophisticated, socialite party drug we have over here in the UK ta very much..

 

[mr. tibbs]

Lol. A Euro cycling star does coke and causes outrage? Why is everyone so surprised?

I do think it was bogus that he got off w/out any legal business last time (as has been mentioned often, we would all lose our jobs, get fined, go to jail, etc), but cycling sanctions seems a bit over the top to me. This isn't their business.

But I expect the law to do something this time rather than just shrug and go "Eh, he is Tommeke, you know?"

I'm glad none of my "indescretions" have ever come to light like this...

(And a note to pros: nobody's buying the cloak and dagger line about "my drink got spiked at an outdoor cafe")

 

[boalio]

I'm glad none of my "indescretions" have ever come to light like this...

Exactly. How many people on this forum get tested for cocaine, or any recreational drugs at work?


And how come people think that because you are a professional sportsman then you have to be a role model? this line gets trotted out a lot, and i don't understand it. If you are a professional cyclist, i expect you to ride a bike well, entertain me with your racing. I expect you to be responsible and honest regarding anything to do with your riding. Not your general moral conduct. Teachers, police, politicians, clergy - yes. Not sportsmen, singers, movie stars etc.

 

[rhubroma]

Have to disagree with this.

Actually, you'd probably be surprised. From what I've heard about cyclists who dope hear in Italy, allot of them move on to coke. Evidently it's the taking something to perform, be it athletically or socially, which becomes an adiction.

 

[Green Hornet]

Send him to real rehap and then put him back on the bike

Sad story. Lighten up on the guy -

Personally - I find Canvendish’s mouth much more annoying than Boonan’s cocaine screw up.

 

[Mellow Velo]

He is not the only big name athlete to get pinged for coke, today.
This one is in competition and from one of those "clean" sports.
Due for a two year hangover, as a result.

As reported in the people's favourite journo:-
http://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/breves2009/20090509_195949_gasquet-positif-a-la-cocaine.html

 

[Cloxxki]

If you're a politician and you have a go at your intern you're attempted to be impeached.
If you're a regular Joe taken coke twice, you do jail time.
If you're pretty boy who genetically can ride a bike faster than others, having a tailwind in all your life and then still screwing it up by knowinglytaking the one drug which wars are fought over, you just get away with it.

Excuses by cyclist in doping matters are just lies. Lies should be penalized harder than openly admitted mistakes.

As it was an out-of-competition test, perhaps the UCI should ban him to be out of competition, ever. Or retro-actively put coke on the out-of-competition banned substances list.
Stuff that doesn't make you ride any faster, you can still get banned over if it happens to have put traces in your protein or whatever additive. Coke, which certainly can make a man keep going mentally (artificially I might stress) should be penalized harder than an extra puff of Ventolin to be able to breath through your asthma.

 

[mr. tibbs]

apart from anything else if he cant ride the tour, its going to make cavvys green jersey a little less valid..

Yeah, was looking forward to that show down (even though I was pretty sure who would win it, it would still haave been fun to watch it unfold).

 

[Rossco]

Very dissappointing that such a gifted rider is throwing away his career. I hope he has to do something like rehab, but those that think he should go to jail, well that's not going to help anyone.