ridecanada said:
[mod comment - removed the public argument with mod , plus the insult directed at me]
Lets be fair, the Spanish have a problem with doping. It seems to be systemic and the sports bodies turn a blind eye to it. This is my opinion, anyone is free to disagree, and post their ideas.
I like reading other people's ideas, its called a free exchange of information.
It's the other ideas you had, about the Spanish people in general, and their culture in general, that got you in trouble with me. Not the above bit.
So moving on and debating your opinion:
Let's be
even fairer: all nations have a problem with doping and cheaters. No exceptions.
It seems there are plenty of Canadians who prefer cheating as the quick route (or only viable route) to success too, you even name some yourself. And there are plenty of Americans, Dutch, English, Germans, Italians, Belgians........
Nor is the Spanish sports governing body the only national body that protects its own, or shows more leniency than warranted.
And I take all Canadian sport organizations are really testing pro-athletes to the max then?
Blind, complacent and corrupt eyes are everywhere. Most have never seen Spain.
And there are also plenty of individuals and organisations want nothing to do with it. Some of those even speak Spanish.
But I do agree, that when it comes to cycling, the Spanish have
a bigger hornets nest to tackle than some. That bit in your post is really not what the fuss regarding your posts is all about.
However, you might find it hard to believe, but I would still argue that Spanish Cycling has made more progress than some other sports and sports organisations have, even in other nations.
There are plenty of sports, sports bodies, and those reporting on it, that are lagging well behind the really poor "anti-doping culture" in Spanish cycling, as you perceive it. One or two of them are likely to be Canadian. And Dutch.
And just because one or two law enforcers, or world bodies, are making a big stink in one or two nations, that doesn't mean that it didn't took a lot of blind national eyes before someone finally busted one or two open.
And even with a mayor scandal or two behind their belt, some folk happily settle for the perception that those were the national exceptions. Please, no real boat rocking required. It's the
other places.
If only their cheaters were more like our cheaters, things would be a lot better, not?
BTW, one more thing:
Canada: We stripped Ben Johnson of his medal, he was banned for life. Jeanson, also banned for life. Finding: Canada hard on dopers
With "we" you mean the international IOC and IAAF. With banned for life you mean after the 2nd offence, as "we" Canadians actually came out in record numbers to welcome him back from the first ban, and were a bit less happy when he became another world-news embarrassment for Canada. Your laws at the time actually allowed him to come back a 3rd time in Canada
alone (the rest of the world was a no-go zone). When he again failed yet
another drug test. And the widespread and systematic doping wasn't brought to light by the Canadian national sports body either, but was forced into the daylight through an extensive
external enquiry, which only highlighted how happy some sports had been with all the blind Canadian eyes, as cheating was entrenched.
So when you say that this Ben Johnson example showed that Canada is hard on Dopers, you were kinda stretching it a bit thin, not?
If the first domino in your line of proof is already that badly aligned, I am not gonna point out why your last domino doesn't fall with the argument you made. It has bad assumptive leaps all over the place.
I do however accept that Cycling and Political Spain has some of that route still ahead of itself. I do give you that.