Independent observers at the TdF: UCI/WADA Agreement

[Beech Mtn]

UCI Press Release

The International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) yesterday signed an agreement on the attendance of independent observers at the 2010 Tour de France to be held between 3-25 July.

 

[BikeCentric]

Well then. Maybe I'll watch the Tour after all. This should encourage teams to be on their best behavior, especially with Novitsky on their a$$es as well.

 

[wattage]

Let me guess, these independent observers are hand picked by the UCI?

 

[Colm.Murphy]

Is this how the AFLD will shoulder their way into the event?

 

[thehog]

Let me guess, these independent observers are hand picked by the UCI?

There's a lot of backslapping & mutual thankyou-s on both sides in the press release. Bit of worry.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-allows-wada-independent-observers-at-the-2010-tour-de-france

 

[Merckx11]

When does it end.

Watchers watching the watchers.
I hate that Pro sports have come to this.

 

[thehog]

Watchers watching the watchers.
I hate that Pro sports have come to this.

Yes. The have official people who all they do is watch men pee.

 

[JayZee]

Watchers watching the watchers.
I hate that Pro sports have come to this.

It is going to be really crowded in the bathroom stall. Maybe one of them will have to stand on the toilet in the adjoining stall to peak over the divider.

 

[Anonymous]

It is going to be really crowded in the bathroom stall. Maybe one of them will have to stand on the toilet in the adjoining stall to peak over the divider.

From what has been suggested by his former mother stand-ins, the show isn't all that great.

 

[Cobblestones]

It is going to be really crowded in the bathroom stall. Maybe one of them will have to stand on the toilet in the adjoining stall to peak over the divider.

There should just be an internet life feed.

 

[Oldman]

Yes. The have official people who all they do is watch men pee.

And they shall confirm the lemony yellow hue of the fluid. The part about the Independent observers having access to all levels of the testing process is the best guarantee of a relatively clean race. That and this appears to be Pat M saving his job. He can lay all the pre-Landis stuff at someone else's door and declare: "nothing to see but ancient history, no need to stir up old wounds."
It almost appears to be a start. Will WADA stay on from here out?

 

[gree0232]

And they shall confirm the lemony yellow hue of the fluid. The part about the Independent observers having access to all levels of the testing process is the best guarantee of a relatively clean race. That and this appears to be Pat M saving his job. He can lay all the pre-Landis stuff at someone else's door and declare: "nothing to see but ancient history, no need to stir up old wounds."
It almost appears to be a start. Will WADA stay on from here out?

Good Lord.

There seems to be a certain segment of the anti-doping community that will simply never be appeased. WADA does not work for the UCI, neither does AFLD. The intent of this is to bring in an independant, outside but informed, observer to verify the anti-doping methodology is sound .... or not.

This is another step in the right direction, and an attempt to move the sport beyond political infighting and into transparancy and RULES BASED anti-doping practices.

 

[Thee_chisa]

looks good from what i read.

 

[Kodiak]

independent is a bit of a stretch I think. the AFLD won't be satisfied no matter what the UCI does. They have for years had issues that have only made them look like the keystone cops. It would seem that until our sport is totally decimated will the AFLD be satisfied that they have truly removed all threat of doping.

 

[Big GMaC]

It is going to be really crowded in the bathroom stall. Maybe one of them will have to stand on the toilet in the adjoining stall to peak over the divider.

It was worse when I was a junior (not cycling). You had the guy watch you, as a guy watched him and another guy watched them to make sure that all the first two guys were doing was watching... Felt like hours...

 

[santacruz]

Could we force riders to take their natural breaks into jars during the race, so by the end of the race we have a truck load of pee, and then we can distill it or something to make it more concentrated.. I imagine at the end of these races these guys are peeing very watery clear liquid from all the fluids they intake, so you'd have to have the best test in the world to catch a doper with so much watery pee. I remember in highschool kids could drink a gallon of water and pass a weed test most the time.

 

[offbyone]

Could we force riders to take their natural breaks into jars during the race, so by the end of the race we have a truck load of pee, and then we can distill it or something to make it more concentrated.. I imagine at the end of these races these guys are peeing very watery clear liquid from all the fluids they intake, so you'd have to have the best test in the world to catch a doper with so much watery pee. I remember in highschool kids could drink a gallon of water and pass a weed test most the time.

santacruz I often wondered if this was what Landis was attempting during stage 17. He was constantly drinking water. Didn't work out too well for him.

 

[luckyboy]

Don't see why they don't let the AFLD join in for a bit of extra testers if they're gonna get independent observers. The observers could even watch them so they don't tamper all the samples like they always do

It would seem that until our sport is totally decimated will the AFLD be satisfied that they have truly removed all threat of doping.

If that's what it takes..

From what has been suggested by his former mother stand-ins, the show isn't all that great.

Half the equipment doing the same work ain't it.

 

[Hillavoider]

independent is a bit of a stretch I think. the AFLD won't be satisfied no matter what the UCI does. They have for years had issues that have only made them look like the keystone cops. It would seem that until our sport is totally decimated will the AFLD be satisfied that they have truly removed all threat of doping.

you sound like a DS i know who just wants to look to the future.

Allez WADA

 

[Oldman]

Good Lord.

There seems to be a certain segment of the anti-doping community that will simply never be appeased. WADA does not work for the UCI, neither does AFLD. The intent of this is to bring in an independant, outside but informed, observer to verify the anti-doping methodology is sound .... or not.

This is another step in the right direction, and an attempt to move the sport beyond political infighting and into transparancy and RULES BASED anti-doping practices.

gree-you were arguing on another thread that the independent lab under contract with the UCI shared information directly with WADA and IOC so there could not be any widespread doping conspiracy or fraud. AFLD "leaked" LA's lab results from a prior Tour and the finger pointing began. Are you saying this is an appeasement or an would you finally acknowledge that "transparency" was the first victim when the UCI had too much control over testing?
Does anyone doubt this would agreement would have happened without Landis disclosure?

 

[Kodiak]

you sound like a DS i know who just wants to look to the future.

Allez WADA

that would be what I'd like. Thinking that you're helping the sport by going after something that happened years ago won't do any good. stop those doing it now and move on.

 

[Anonymous]

This document is essential reading - one of the most interesting things i have read in a long long time. Huge repercussions.

AFLD will NOT be permitted to conduct any tests at the tour, unless UCI fail to stick to the wada agreement.

http://www.wada-ama.org/en/News-Cen...equest-to-Conduct-Additional-Testing-at-Tour/

The UCI find another legal block to keep testing in house.

However reading it in detail it tells a very different story, it appears that if the afld tell wada they want someone tested, and give a reasonable reason why, wada will tell uci to test them and accompany them

 

[oldschoolnik]

that would be what I'd like. Thinking that you're helping the sport by going after something that happened years ago won't do any good. stop those doing it now and move on.

Yes I think it would help the sport to go after riders, DS's and managers that were never caught or punished for past doping and are still directing new riders. At worst many of these DS's have been complicit in facilitating programs. At best, they turned a blind eye towards recent doping by their riders. Example Bjarne Riis and Frank Schleck (why is he still riding again? Oh yeah , he paid 10K for training advice from a Spanish gynocologist in Spain- that's credible)

Until these DS and riders are punished or gone from the sport things won't change at all - or have a hope to change.

 

[Siriuscat]

Great, I think it's a great step, I also suspect there will be a few squeeky bums around the peloton when they realise the backhanders might not be valid anymore....... I sense a lot of palm greasing going on somewhere though, has Lance offered Fahey a donation yet I wonder

 

[Oldman]

that would be what I'd like. Thinking that you're helping the sport by going after something that happened years ago won't do any good. stop those doing it now and move on.[/QUOTE]

Alot of people currently profitting from the sport would like nothing but that. That only quietly maintains the status quo surrounding the riders. In reality I think that makes the riders the final sacrifice while the Facilitators continue on and think of new ways to defraud the system. You need to pull the dead rat out of the wall to stop the stink.