Christophe Bassons - suspended?!

[Zweistein]

First of, you don't read, the AFLD didn't suspend Bassons, the French Cyling Union did. Besides, it's blatantly ridiculous considering AFLD and UCI(Lance) are mudslinging each other.

Let's await the appeal.

You're right. I confused the French Cycling Union with AFLD.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Bassons was a random selection. The testers are just drawing out of the start list. And it will blow over in about one year.

Telling response by the crowd on this forum. If Wiggins had quit a race and skipped where he was the random control you would have been screaming "Conspiracy! Proof of Doping!"

Since it was Bassons, you are screaming "Armstrong! UCI! Proof of Conspiracy!"

Just pointing out the obvious.

I said it made sense to penalise him but I do not think it is in proportion when compared to the suspensions that career dopers have received.

 

[sittingbison]

He abondoned 20km from finish, and notified race official. Be a bit hard to make the finish 30 mins later.

Rule 2.3 the two operative phrases are “without compelling justification" and "after notification”. He had a compelling reason in that he withdrew far from the finish line, and more importsntly he was patenty not notified until they rang him at home.

They have skrewed up, this will get tossed at CAS

 

[Franklin]

I said it made sense to penalise him but I do not think it is in proportion when compared to the suspensions that career dopers have received.

The punishment seems big, but let's await appeals.

A question, isn't there a standard sentence for these infractions? If so, is this in line with what Bassons got?

 

[BigBoat]

Interesting....I bet there's more to this than meets the eye..... I wonder what Matt Decanio has to say.

 

[noddy69]

Bassons was a random selection. The testers are just drawing out of the start list. And it will blow over in about one year.

Telling response by the crowd on this forum. If Wiggins had quit a race and skipped where he was the random control you would have been screaming "Conspiracy! Proof of Doping!"

Since it was Bassons, you are screaming "Armstrong! UCI! Proof of Conspiracy!"

Just pointing out the obvious.

True if after abandoning he was tested which would be unusual. I think it just seems too much of a coincidence that lance gets a ban the UCI and cycling gets heat and someone held as an anti doping advocate gets done. Could be its normal and really just a coincidence.

Think a good place to start would be a list of bans for missing end of ace controls and the length of the bans. Then how many of those had abandoned, if some had what sanction they were given. Anyone else wants to dig feel free.

 

[hrotha]

What about Xavier Tondo?

Will you guys drop that already.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

The punishment seems big, but let's await appeals.

A question, isn't there a standard sentence for these infractions? If so, is this in line with what Bassons got?

That's a good point. If it is an honest mistake I would hope that this gets overturned or at least reduced.

And I'll be honest, it does kind of rub when I see a guy like Bassons get a suspension for something that seems like a genuine mistake (plus it does look like he tried to update them of his situation). Would I feel as sorry for some of the other riders... probably not.

 

[noddy69]

After 1 minute digging I conclude he got the smallest ban possible for the offence and unless it was not a random pick then its fair.

 

[Big Doopie]

i am optimistic that bassons will get off on appeal.

 

[Franklin]

After 1 minute digging I conclude he got the smallest ban possible for the offence and unless it was not a random pick then its fair.

Well, there you have it. Not much in the story about him being unfairly treated.

I certainly recognize his achievements fighting the good fight, but he did break the rules.

 

[Cloxxki]

Don'be too optimistic. Other riders aBANdoned and got a BAN.

I am not too sure I trust random testing. At times random testing becomes targeted testing. Interesting names are tested, even if they happen to have a rare but huge offday.

For something like bike marathons, I am also not sure the protocols unboubtedly tailored to road races and crits, applied to bike marathons. I've been eligible for testing and would lose several hours. Everyone would be gone by the time I arrived, let alone if I would lick my wounds besides the course, buy a meal somewhere in a village, and gain strength to get over the last Alpine giant just to make it to the showers. I would not be concerned to check the test list. And I'd be considered too late anyway. The extreme rareness of testing in MTB makes it very easy for an unlucky rider to find themselves banned by the time they remember their own name again.

 

[taiwan]

LOL what a random story, I couldn't believe it when I saw it.

 

[ElChingon]

Will you guys drop that already.

Had they let us have the conspiracy thread on him it would of ended then instead it lives on forever.

Back to Bassons, I hear the UCI is cracking down on riders who quit cycling and their other lame races as it really puts cycling in a bad light.

 

[ToreBear]

Inner ring has a story on it:
http://inrng.com/2012/10/christophe-bassons-given-one-year-doping-ban/

The rules have to be followed, but I'm not sure the rules are sensible this time.

I remember a Norwegian footballer who was supposed to be tested after a match, but had left. The tester on the spot accepted the reason and tested someone else. His wife was giving birth in the hospital. Can't remember if this was pre or post wada.

Anyway there should be some personal judgment involved by the tester. Like Cloxxki explains, the rules might not be sensible across all areas and levels.

Also I have no problem with testing not being random. Thats part of the point of the blood passport. Those who have suspicious profiles should be subjected to more testing.

Though I don't know about MTB marathons status in France. Perhaps those in the top tier have passports. I don't get the impression Bassons falls into that category though.

Of course if there is judgment involved, there is room for grudges too, but hopefully measures are in place to keep that from happening.

I wonder who handled the testing? AFLD or UCI? AFLD on behalf of the UCI? Or the UCI itself?

Perhaps they follow different methods of testing?

Inner ring says he got his ban reduced as much as possible. But perhaps he might get cleared in cas if they find his reason for absence being valid?


Anyway he never tested positive.

 

[131313]

If I were him, I would think about not racing until this blows over.

Isn't kind of unusual to test someone that abandons?

Not at all. The lists of randoms are normally done before the race even starts, though it's not posted until after the race. This same thing happened in the US, with Cale Redpath, Alice Pennington and some dude I can't remember. One guy retired, because he was getting out of cycling anyway, the other two appeals and won. I'm pretty sure Redpath DNF'd the race in question, both of them may have but my memory is foggy. One of my in-competition tests was in a race I DNF'd.

 

[131313]

Interesting....I bet there's more to this than meets the eye..... I wonder what Matt Decanio has to say.

A guy who wouldn't dope in the Euro road racing scene decides to dope for a 24 hour race? I mean, anything's possible, but that seems unlikely. I will say that finding out if you're on the list to test isn't as straightforward as it seems at small events. It's almost NEVER an easy process. Without a team director there taking care of it for you, it's easier for this to happen than folks realize.

Sometimes an apple is just an apple.

As far as Decanio, what he has to say would probably depend on if he's on his meds or not...

 

[Microchip]

I think Lance is behind it.

Am half-joking / half-serious.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

I think Lance is behind it.

Am half-joking / half-serious.

Cue Filippo Simeoni's bars being burnt down...

 

[skidmark]

Will you guys drop that already.

What is the story with that? I haven't seen mention before, but it seems to be implying that Tondo's death had something to do with him speaking out about doping(?) If so.... ugh, yeah, drop it already.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

What is the story with that? I haven't seen mention before, but it seems to be implying that Tondo's death had something to do with him speaking out about doping(?) If so.... ugh, yeah, drop it already.

It was a ridiculous theory that was said here.

 

[Gaul 58]

All ye of little faith...

All ye of little faith... you should stop your panic.... the $500,000 backhander from Nike is on its way as we speak.... Pat will tuck it away and then appear on his blarney stone.

 

[ElChingon]

It was a ridiculous theory that was said here.

Yes ridiculous, so ridiculous that they should only let silly threads remain

 

[JibberJim]

In lower level racing where it's much more likely that riders will not be expecting dope control, the abandons would be the ones you should more likely test - you find out during the event that the testers have arrived, you abandon to decrease the chances of being picked.

 

[doperhopper]

What's next? Lemond to be busted in a cyclosportive?