European Newspaper step in:

[poupou]

Their statement :
The Times version is : http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/cycling/article3581560.ece

Manifesto for a credible cycling

We are a group of newspapers in five countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy and France) to continue cycling history for over a century. We love this sport with passion and strongly believe in its future.

We are also very concerned about the current situation. In the long blacklist of doping scandals that have clouded the horizon of cycling in recent years must be added the case of Armstrong, the confessions of several of his former teammates, the report of the American Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) as pointing to a malfunction or complicity of the International Cycling Union (UCI), and disturbing reports have filtered in Padua called research. And in January opens in Puerto trial in Madrid. This recent revelations show clearly that we can not put our faith in the ICU or team managers complicit in the deception. But the failures rest on all families that make cycling.

It seems that things have improved recently. We believe in a new generation of riders, but we believe it is impossible to continue in the same structures, the same operation, the same rules and the same men.

That's why we recommend:

- That the UCI recognizes its responsibilities in the Armstrong case and apologize.

- The constitution, under the responsibility of the Agency (WADA), a neutral and independent commission to investigate the role and responsibility of the ICU in case Armstrong and the fight against doping in general to report errors, abuses and possible complicity.

- That the organization of controls on the biggest races is directly responsible for WADA and anti-doping agencies.

- That the suspension penalties applicable in doping cases are more severe and sports groups pledge not to sign for two years for athletes suspended for more than six months.

- The restoration of the gentlemen's agreement which provides that a broker who is under investigation for doping is automatically suspended for his team.

- A stronger involvement and accountability of the sponsors who fund a team and give it its name.

- Reform of the World Tour, its points system and licensing, maintaining a closed and opaque. We also propose that the licenses are no longer issued to the managers, but the sponsors.

- The celebration of "overall the bike" before the start of the 2013 season in order to define a new organization and new rules.

We sincerely hope that the cycling world will seize the opportunity that is offered to a fundamental reform.

De Telegraaf (Netherlands), Le Soir (Belgium), Het Nieuwsblad (Belgium), The Times (UK), La Gazzetta dell Sport (Italy) and L'Equipe (France)

Full french version

Nous sommes un groupe de journaux de cinq pays différents (Pays-Bas, Belgique, Grande-Bretagne, Italie et France) et nous accompagnons l’histoire du cyclisme depuis plus d’un siècle. Nous aimons passionnément ce sport et nous croyons fermement en son avenir.

Nous sommes aussi très préoccupés par sa situation aujourd’hui. À la longue liste noire des affaires de dopage qui ont assombri l’horizon du cyclisme pendant des années viennent de s’ajouter l’affaire Armstrong, les confessions de plusieurs de ses anciens équipiers, le rapport de l’agence américaine antidopage (USADA) qui pointe du doigt les dysfonctionnements, voire la complicité de l’Union cycliste internationale (UCI), et les informations inquiétantes qui ont filtré de l’enquête dite de Padoue. Et en janvier s’ouvrira le procès Puerto à Madrid. Ces récentes révélations démontrent clairement que nous ne pouvons plus accorder notre confiance à l’UCI ou à des managers d’équipe complices de tricheries. Mais les fautes reposent sur toutes les familles qui composent le cyclisme.

Nous avons le sentiment que les choses se sont améliorées très récemment. Nous croyons en une nouvelle génération de coureurs, mais nous pensons qu’il est impossible de repartir avec les mêmes structures, le même fonctionnement, les mêmes règles et les mêmes hommes.

C’est pourquoi nous suggérons aujourd’hui :

- que l’UCI reconnaisse ses responsabilités dans l’affaire Armstrong et fasse amende honorable.

- la constitution, sous la responsabilité de l’Agence mondiale antidopage (AMA), d’une commission neutre et indépendante chargée d’enquêter sur le fonctionnement et la responsabilité de l’UCI dans l’affaire Armstrong et dans la lutte antidopage en général afin de dénoncer les erreurs, les abus et les éventuelles complicités.

- que l’organisation des contrôles sur les principales courses relève directement de la responsabilité de l’AMA et des agences nationales antidopage.

- que les peines de suspension applicables dans les cas de dopage lourd soient plus sévères et que les groupes sportifs s’engagent à ne pas enrôler pendant deux années supplémentaires les athlètes suspendus pendant plus de six mois.

- le rétablissement du gentlemen’s agreement qui stipulait qu’un coureur qui fait l’objet d’une enquête pour dopage est automatiquement suspendu par son équipe.

- une implication plus forte et une plus grande responsabilisation des sponsors qui financent une équipe et lui prêtent leur nom.

- la réforme du World Tour, de son système de points et d’attribution des licences, qui entretiennent un système fermé et opaque. Nous proposons également que les licences ne soient plus délivrées aux managers mais aux sponsors.

- la tenue “ d’états généraux du cyclisme “ avant le début de la saison 2013 afin de définir une nouvelle organisation et de nouvelles règles.

Nous souhaitons ardemment que le monde du cyclisme saisisse l’occasion qui lui est fournie de se réformer en profondeur.

DE TELEGRAAF (Pays-Bas)

LE SOIR (Belgique)

HET NIEUWSBLAD (Belgique)

THE TIMES (Royaume Uni)

LA GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT (Italie)

L’ÉQUIPE (France)

 

[Descender]

No Spanish paper.

 

[Spider1964]

One can only hope that this gains traction.

Hopes not high whilst money is involved.

Just read the article... Why stop at JUST cycling... Heaven forbid that Footballers or Tennis players may dope? Why single out cycling?

 

[Irish2009]

L'Equipe and La Gazetta are major players in the sport (Tour de France, Tour of Italy). They provide hugh exposure for professional cycling and this is where thier clout is. If they give ultimatiums to the UCI, the UCI had better listen. There is a movement to change the way cycling is run, and persieved by Joe Public, lets not miss this oppurtunity.

 

[zebedee]

Whilst Gazetta's campaign on cycling is admirable (the corresponding article is splashed inside today's edition too) the paper's stance generally on doping is questionable.

An Italian tennis player, Sara Errani, is under a cloud of suspicion within sceptical tennis circles due to her sudden, unexplained rise from mid-career journeyman nobody into world No 7, all in the space of a few months and all coinciding - surprise, surprise - with her association with Dr del Moral. The Italian press by and large has been unsupportive of any suggestion that Errani's results have anything to do with doping and regard the mere suggestion of such as an affront to their national dignity. It's all down to 'pasta e pomodoro', as far as the press there are concerned, including La Gazetta from what I can see.

 

[arjanh]

Just read the article... Why stop at JUST cycling... Heaven forbid that Footballers or Tennis players may dope? Why single out cycling?

Yeah, why not go for world peace?

Seriously, it's gonna be hard enough to sort out men pro road cycling. If we can get that sorted, the rest of cycling will be peanuts to fix.

And to be honest, let the football and tennis fans sort out the problems of their sport. Not that I don't care, but I don't know enough of the intricacies of those sports when it comes to doping, although the common denominator is most likely the ruling body failing to recognize they have a doping problem.

 

[arjanh]

Whilst Gazetta's campaign on cycling is admirable (the corresponding article is splashed inside today's edition too) the paper's stance generally on doping is questionable.

I think it more depends on the journalist(s) than on the newspaper per se.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

There's a distinct possibility, that if cycling truly did clean up its act, it could become supremely sponsorable, set apart from any other questionable sport. Pipe dream.

 

[arjanh]

There's a distinct possibility, that if cycling truly did clean up its act, it could become supremely sponsorable, set apart from any other questionable sport. Pipe dream.

Yes, absolutely. Wouldn't it be a shame if it didn't happen?

 

[Dalakhani]

THE TIMES (Royaume Uni)

The same company that owns Sky.

 

[Der Effe]

De Telegraaf should f*ck off and become a credible newspaper first. Bunch of utter cretins.

 

[Benotti69]

De Telegraaf should f*ck off and become a credible newspaper first. Bunch of utter cretins.

Did they drop Bruyneel yet?

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Yes, absolutely. Wouldn't it be a shame if it didn't happen?

I won't hold my breath.

 

[Amsterhammer]

De Telegraaf should f*ck off and become a credible newspaper first. Bunch of utter cretins.

(Helemaal eens)

Here's the report from Holland's largest comic book.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/wielersport/13123392/__Signaal_naar_wielersport__.html

 

[Der Effe]

Did they drop Bruyneel yet?

Haven't heard that they did, so probably not. That entire newspaper seriously is a disgrace to mankind. Sensationalism and xenophobia is what they promote.

Also funny that their cycling jouno was defending Armstrong just a couple of months ago saying he could never have doped and the accusations against him were ridiculous. You wanna know why? Because he survived cancer. Lol, words can not describe how much I hate that newspaper

/Rant over

 

[zebedee]

And to be honest, let the football and tennis fans sort out the problems of their sport. Not that I don't care, but I don't know enough of the intricacies of those sports when it comes to doping, although the common denominator is most likely the ruling body failing to recognize they have a doping problem.

Doping problems within sport are inter-related with overlapping areas.

And a newspaper which builds its own pedestal to anti-doping on shifting sands, isn't creating much of a pedestal, is it?

The Errani case is a flea bite compared to Italian football.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Even so they are doing more than say CN, Velonews etc, and more than the Guardian etc.

However, if the Times is serious then it ought to be giving Paul Kimmage a fulltime job.

 

[zebedee]

However, if the Times is serious then it ought to be giving Paul Kimmage a fulltime job.

I think you hit the nail right on the head with that suggestion.

A good way of staying right in UCI's face and arguably better than a court case.

 

[hiero2]

I say BRAVO!

BRAVO!

BRAVO!

Folks - you want to snipe and *****, please do it next month. Right now get off your tush and do a standing ovation! I want to HEAR it from here!

CAN YOU SAY MOMENTUM? PILE ON!!

BRAVO!!


Seriously, we saw yesterday the UCI is bending to pressure - and these guys are keeping the pressure on! Stand up and cheer now! And next month, when you aren't getting what you want? Complain to them! Tell them you are behind them and you support them and they need to KEEP the pressure on! Complaining today makes you look like one of them - you know, what he said, right, that guy, with the sideburns?

 

[Cobber]

I say BRAVO!

BRAVO!

BRAVO!

Folks - you want to snipe and *****, please do it next month. Right now get off your tush and do a standing ovation! I want to HEAR it from here!

CAN YOU SAY MOMENTUM? PILE ON!!

BRAVO!!


Seriously, we saw yesterday the UCI is bending to pressure - and these guys are keeping the pressure on! Stand up and cheer now! And next month, when you aren't getting what you want? Complain to them! Tell them you are behind them and you support them and they need to KEEP the pressure on! Complaining today makes you look like one of them - you know, what he said, right, that guy, with the sideburns?

+1 This is really great news!

 

[compete_clean]

Did I miss the part where the media accepts their responsibility for not reporting what was obviously going on?

 

[Adamastor]

L'Equipe: Le Mensonge Armstrong

Did I miss the part where the media accepts their responsibility for not reporting what was obviously going on?

Well, you cannot accuse l'Equipe of not having reported on LA's fraud. Unfortunately, owners changd their minds 2009 with Juan Pelota's come back.

 

[martinvickers]

No Spanish paper.

Stands out like a sore thumb, doesn't it...you know, the spanish authorities really need to get their house in order - when the king himself backs dopers, the cultures in trouble - and it's not fair on the spanish people who are no more corrupt or naive than anyone else.

Pity no american, german or russian paper - but I'd say they have less general interest in the sport. also interesting that the Times - owned by same guys as Sky - have put GB in the thick of this mix - with rumours that Cookson was one of those calling for Heins head yesterday - feels like a powerplay - GB sees an opening to become a 'traditional' power; just as spain is in economic and cycling trouble. - As someone once said "never let a crises go to waste!"

 

[martinvickers]

I think you hit the nail right on the head with that suggestion.

A good way of staying right in UCI's face and arguably better than a court case.

Any chance - given the nationality of Kimmage and McQuaid of getting the Irish Times on board?

 

[martinvickers]

Did I miss the part where the media accepts their responsibility for not reporting what was obviously going on?

I think this initiative is them doing just that. Taking responsibility.

what you seem to want is abject apology, and while that's probably justified, don't hold your breath. but taking responsibility for the future isn't about admitting responsibility for the past - it's about driving necessary change. and this may not be perfect, but by god it's a good step. Take off the cynicspecs, and see a step forward when one is presented - just like catching lance was; like kittel's statement was; like the other USPS confessions were - not the solution, but steps forward.