aphronesis said:
I think an issue is that people move this subject in and out of various social/cultural/philosophical registers without ever being honest about the stake for cycling, for themselves, etc and how they would honestly see it not happening across the board. Fighting for ideals without an end isn't particularly impressive.
Giubilo interviews Coppi, 1952 [in my own literal translation]
Sergio Giubilo:
"Tu la prendi, Fausto Coppi?" [Do you take 'The Bomb', Fausto Coppi?]
Coppi:
"Naturalmente." [Of course, naturally.]
Giubilo:
"Tutti i corridori prendono la bomba?" [Do all the bike racers take 'The Bomb'?]
Coppi:
"Sì, tutti, e a quelli che dicono di non prenderne è bene non avvicinarsi con fiammiferi accesi."
[Yes, all of them do, and as for those who say they don't partake, it would be best not to approach them with burning matches...]
Giubilo:
"Quando prendi la bomba?" [When would you take 'The Bomb'?]
Coppi:
"Quando serve." [When needed.]
Giubilo:
" … e quando serve?" [And when is it needed?]
Giubilo:
"Quasi sempre." [Almost always.]
The classic cyclists who cheated the old-fashioned-way, doped openly, and ridiculed the idea that cyclists don't dope... that's a lot more honorable than what we have seen in the modern era. I hate the liars, especially the fake authorities, and sanctimonious liars who pretend to be morally superior, when they are actually much more unethical. If Lance had said, since the 1990s, "
Of course I have doped all my career, and I dare you to catch me doping", that would be more respectable. Fausto Coppi versus Gino Bartali is my favorite doping mystery story of all time
Solution to the ethical dilemma is easy for the vast majority of bike racers, including myself:
don't go professional. No problem, since we can't do it anyway, and if not racing for money, then don't need to dope