Hein Verbruggen

[rhubroma]

Reading all that makes me sick to think he was (is) the head of the sport for so damned long. As far as I am concerned, Hein is a self-serving despicable gasbag of a human being.

Go ahead, sue me.

But LA likes him, indeed they are the best of friends.

 

[frenchfry]

Reading all that makes me sick to think he was (is) the head of the sport for so damned long. As far as I am concerned, Hein is a self-serving despicable gasbag of a human being.

Go ahead, sue me.

The doping culture described in "The Secret Race" thrived under the stewardship of Verdruggen. It is now pretty obvious that he was involved in receiving bribes and fixing doping controls for selected riders. What more to say, hopefully the Kimmage lawsuit can be key in exposing this pathetic individual for what he is and the harm he has done to the sport of cycling.

 

[DirtyWorks]

we sue everyone...simple.

Hein is an Olympic Cause member and I think it's not controversial that the lawsuit meets the criteria for limiting "anti-doping controversy" that is fundamental to the IOC's doping policies.

At this point, Hein has worldwide control of competitive cycling. If there's a doping controversy, then there's nothing like spending a little money on lawyers to squelch the controversy.

He must be getting huge pressure from senior IOC people. There's no other viable explanation for his bad behaviour!

 

[rata de sentina]

He must be getting huge pressure from senior IOC people. There's no other viable explanation for his bad behaviour!

You go too far with your assumptions, there's a host of viable explanations: early onset dementia, senility, delirum tremens, alcoholic hallucinosis, meglomania the list goes on. These are all viable or there's the completely unviable one: wrestling with a guilty conscience

 

[webvan]

From http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/verbruggen-wont-take-legal-action-against-hamilton too

The claim of 500 tests has never been officially proven but current UCI President Pat McQuaid recently publicised that Armstrong had been tested 215 times by the UCI. However when Cyclingnews pointed out that they weren't aware of how many times Armstrong had been tested or which body had tested him each time, Verbruggen added: "You should. God dammit. You're here with your microphone embarrassing me with all types of questions. I'm mad at people like you. You don't even do your homework. Is he only controlled by the UCI, he's controlled by other bodies. Am I entitled to be upset? You can write that. I wonder. You don't know the rules. That's upsetting for me. I'm 72 and I don't need lessons from people like that. You don't do your bloody homework. I know he's been tested. Yes. You should bloody well know; I hope to see that you write that. 'We as journalists don't do our homework'."

The whole interview is sickening and that part is the worst, how on earth can thay guy still be around ?!

"You talkin" to me, you talkin" to me ? I sue you, I sue you"

 

[AcademyCC]

I just started laughing with anger, that's never happened to me before. Shocking, truly shocking.

 

[the big ring]

My internal dialogue tends toward Aussie accent as that's where I am from. I was curious what Hein would sound like.

So I went looking for a video.

This is 5 minutes, but well worth hearing Hein laud the Chinese and their low-risk, great organisational skills when applied to a new games, "Combat Games" concept. Globalising beating the crap out of one another... There are other questions that when you look at how he has handled cycling, all add up to a steaming pile of BS - imo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdDLvs-nBg4&feature=endscreen&NR=1

 

[the big ring]

Ok anything from 2004 pertaining to SportAccord is Hein.

There's a convention every year.

2nd 2004 May 15 - 20 Lausanne[6] Switzerland
3rd 2005 April 16 - 20 Berlin Germany
4th 2006 April 3 - 7 Seoul[7] South Korea
5th 2007 April 22 - 27 Beijing[8] China
6th 2008 June 2 - 6 Athens[9][10][11] Greece
7th 2009 March 23 - 27[12][13] Denver[14][15] United States
8th 2010 April 20 - 25[16] Dubai[17][18] United Arab Emirates
9th 2011 April 3 - 8[19] London[20][21] United Kingdom
10th 2012 May 20 - 25[22] Quebec City[23][24] Canada
11th 2013 May 26 - 31[25] Saint Petersburg Russia

Nice junket for the president, Hein Verbruggen.

 

[Robert21]

Anyone who is really interested in how Verbruggen might have used his position to further his own interests and those of people like Armstrong would do well to investigate his links with Wouter Vandenhaute, owner of the Belgian production company Woestijnvis.

Remember when Armstrong got together some rich and powerful backers in order to try to buy the Tour de France?

In July 2007, Messrs. Armstrong and Stapleton entertained another prospective plan to reorganize cycling from Wouter Vandenhaute, a Belgian television executive and former sportscaster, who has a plan he calls the "World Tour." At the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, Mr. Vandenhaute proposed a series of races with the Tour de France as the de facto Super Bowl of the season.

Mr. Vandenhaute was talking with Luxembourg-based private-equity firm CVC Capital Partners. CVC remains interested in a deal, though any deal is probably a long way off, a person familiar with the matter said. Mr. Stapleton says the idea could still pick up steam.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123811112300753043.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123...project=ARMSTRONG0903&articleTabs=interactive

It may not be unveiled next week, but the word is that Armstrong is involved in a possible buyout of Tour organisers Amaury Sport Organisation from its parent company the Amaury Group.

Furthermore, Armstrong may saddle up in the deal with Hein Verbruggen - the former president and now vice-president of cycling's world body, the Union Cycliste Internationale. Some say it may be an Armstrong-UCI deal.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/on...ld-own-the-tour/2008/09/19/1221331205913.html

Also recall the attempts of the UCI to wrest control to the TV rights to events such as the Tour de France away from the organisers of the events by claiming they were part of the 'Pro Tour' brand? Well, Vandenhaute was in the middle of this one as well, as was Verbruggen.

Verbruggen is currently in negotiations with Vandenhaute. They want the cycling towards example of the Champions League, which include the broadcasting rights for the major competitions in a package sold to the broadcasters. The UCI is in the plan only a role as a referee.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2698...aal-moet-impasse-wielersport-doorbreken.dhtml

I would not be surprised if Verbruggen stood to gain personally from his involvement in the above schemes.

Then there was the money Armstrong gave to the UCI. According to Verbruggen himself this money was paid in cash, not a cheque or transfer that could be easilly audited, which is probably why Sylvia Schenk could find no trace of it and said that what happened to the money 'seemed to be a secret'.

RULES BENT FOR TEXAN
Lance Armstrong has not sat on
Sunday Herald, The, Oct 12, 2008 by Jeremy Whittle

...under intense pressure from Armstrong and his entourage, the UCI, criticised for being spineless during the American's first racing career, has made an about turn and the Texan will be allowed to recommence his career in January at the Tour Down Under, without completing the six-month period.

...Towards the end of his career, Armstrong made a donation to the UCI coffers, believed to be in the region of $500,000, claiming that it was to "combat doping". But former UCI committee member Sylvia Schenk said that it was "not clear what it was used for. It seemed to be a secret". A UCI spokesperson was yesterday unavailable for comment.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20081012/ai_n30900387/

“The UCI took a lot of money from Armstrong – to my knowledge 500,000 dollars – and now there is speculation that there are financial connections to Armstrong, as well as the American market. I do not know what sort of connections Verbruggen has.”

http://velonews.competitor.com/2005...t-blasts-ucis-handling-of-armstrong-case_8889

Eurosport News

Lance’s Anti-Doping Fight

Lance Armstrong has always fought to defend himself against slurs on his reputation as a clean athlete but less well known is his fight against doping itself behind the scenes. UCI president Hein Verbruggen spoke to ‘Eurosport’ and divulged that the American “gave money for the research against doping, to discover new anti-doping methods," “He gave money from his private funds, cash. He didn't want this to be known but he did it". Armstrong did not make this knowledge public and when questioned about the contribution said that “If I've donated money to the UCI to combat doping, step up controls and to fund research, it is not my job to issue a press release. That's a secret thing, because it's the right thing to do.” Eurosport.com also reports that when questioned about the amounts of money involved there followed “(Laughter) It was a fair amount. It wasn't... It wasn't a small amount of money".

 

[Fester]

This is absolutely shocking.

 

[Deagol]

I used to be suspicious of Hein, but he now has me convinced after this brilliant interview that this all really is a witch-hunt and anyone who questions what he or Lance says is a jealous hater. Hein, I am sorry for ever doubting you.... I'm sorry for those things I've said about Pat McQuaid. I ask not only for your forgiveness, but I am curious if I could take a lesson in public speaking from you?

 

[D-Queued]

I used to be suspicious of Hein, but he now has me convinced after this brilliant interview that this all really is a witch-hunt and anyone who questions what he or Lance says is a jealous hater. Hein, I am sorry for ever doubting you.... I'm sorry for those things I've said about Pat McQuaid. I ask not only for your forgiveness, but I am curious if I could take a lesson in public speaking from you?

His timing and use of laughter is particularly powerful.

Dave.

 

[RichWalk]

I used to be suspicious of Hein, but he now has me convinced after this brilliant interview that this all really is a witch-hunt and anyone who questions what he or Lance says is a jealous hater. Hein, I am sorry for ever doubting you.... I'm sorry for those things I've said about Pat McQuaid. I ask not only for your forgiveness, but I am curious if I could take a lesson in public speaking from you?

Its another wonderous nail in their collective coffins, the more these ficticious statements are banded about the more damage they do.

One of the most important element of Lance et al getting nailed is the wider audience its reached. I have a large social circle and because friends know I take an interest and have raced, are now asking me about doping issues! This might not sound revolutionary however until these stories started breaking the 'avid sports fans' I know would have know who Cav was and thats about it..........

 

[krebs303]

 

[the big ring]

lollercopters. man. that's epic.

 

[Microchip]

Hard to believe this guy isn't in some home with a team of soup and sponge bath nurses...the hilarious doddering old man of cycling yore...I love this: anyone who says the UCI have "not done our best is sued. Simple"...

we sue everyone...simple.

"you, you over there with the tape recorder and giant rabbit head...I sue you..."

LOLOLOL!!!! This is beyond rolling on the floor laughing!!!! Too funny!!

 

[Microchip]

"The problem is we can't find Landis," Verbruggen told Cyclingnews as he poured himself a glass of wine at a worlds presentation in Valkenburg.

LOLOL!!! This article seems to venture off the beaten path in the way that it describes the interview. Very lively, vivid portrayal of their interaction.

 

[webvan]

Scary isn't it, we'd had a preview with the Floyd emails but this takes the cake! Imagine being a cyclist or a team manager and having to deal with a crazy dude like that! No wonder he was best of chums with the sociopath...someone should have put out a contract to have him sobered up in a schmelting accident.

 

[D-Queued]

"The problem is we can't find Landis," Verbruggen told Cyclingnews as he poured himself a glass of wine at a worlds presentation in Valkenburg.

LOLOL!!! This article seems to venture off the beaten path in the way that it describes the interview. Very lively, vivid portrayal of their interaction.

Loved the creative writing in that.

Translating: Hein, the drunken fool, cannot find his way out of a paper bag.

Hein, maybe you will find him at the bottom of the bottle.

Dave.

 

[RichWalk]

Loved the creative writing in that.

Translating: Hein, the drunken fool, cannot find his way out of a paper bag.

Hein, maybe you will find him at the bottom of the bottle.

Dave.

trouble is that, flipant as it may be and other statements he's made reflect whats behind all this; a corporate gig and some nice backhanders to ease any 'fools interested in cycling making annoying comments'.

You take away the cycling and its just the same as the world I deal with, it appears Hein 'took away the cycling' immediately and with ease.....

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

It's no accident this guy oversaw the dirtiest, most corrupt time in our sport's history where doping had a free reign, and many cyclists lives were ruined, and some even died during that time. To speak that he's proud of this time shows just how delusional he is.

 

[Raul Ramaya]

LOLOL!!! This article seems to venture off the beaten path in the way that it describes the interview. Very lively, vivid portrayal of their interaction.

I honestly thought the article was a joke/satire when I first read it. Very ballsy of Benson to write it the way he did.

 

[RichWalk]

It's no accident this guy oversaw the dirtiest, most corrupt time in our sport's history where doping had a free reign, and many cyclists lives were ruined, and some even died during that time. To speak that he's proud of this time shows just how delusional he is.

he may be delusional now but honestly I don't think he had the remotest concern for cycling, its only because folk on here do care about it that we find it so hard to swallow; inherantly thats where many fall down

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Ok. New theory. Keeping in mind that email was sent November 2011. So 10 months ago.

This guy Hein is a basket case.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/verbruggen-wont-take-legal-action-against-hamilton


ETA: hahahahaah mishrak. Chapeau!

'Whenever I hear the name Hein Verbruggen I hear the sound of white coats flapping'.

(With apologies to John Major)

 

[sniper]

http://www.cyclesportmag.com/news-and-comment/comment-happy-birthday-moreno/

Following the extraordinary domination by Italian riders in early 1994, a doctor with the Belgian cycling federation, Chris Goessens, told Belgian newspaper Het Belang van Limburg that, to him, the victories “smelt dirty”. At the same time, rumours of EPO usage started to circulate, linked to Gewiss team doctor, the not-quite-yet notorious Michele Ferrari.

Reactions to Goessens’ accusations were immediate and unsupportive. Manuel Fonseca, the president of Spain’s national anti-doping committee, maintained that the Belgian had no proof, but then went on to say that, “with something as hard to detect as EPO, it’s as if we were to prohibit you from having a **** in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Sure, we can prohibit you from doing it, but when it comes to enforcing it…” He left the sentence unfinished.

UCI president Hein Verbruggen also weighed in with an open letter to the cycling press, in which he stressed that the reasons he believed that the Italians had been so successful this season were that they were “well-organised and managed.”