IOK suggests that Cycling should be removed from Olympics

[martinvickers]

Your point?

And, is this an official IOC statement or spokesperson from Sweden? Just being an IOC member puts you in the same league as all of those who took bribes during the Salt Lake City bid* and other bids.

If Mr. Pound says that the IOC should review cycling, I agree with him.

If the IOC doesn't review cycling, then what is the point in trying to enforce anti-doping? Only athletes can be sanctioned, but organizations that aid and abet doping cannot? And when that 'organization' is actually the sports governing body, then what - blame the bad athletes alone?

But Mr pound didn't say they should (expression of moral belief, and clearly correct) - he suggested they would - (expression of future planned actions) or might (expression of future possible actions being considered) - and what became clear pretty quickly was that DP was neither entitled to make that suggestion, nor correct in doing so. I understand his frustration, but sometimes you do better to be patient...

 

[Descender]

Don't ever question what **** Pound says.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Er, but the point is you said this:

Not.

This has been strongly considered before - in the wake of Operacion Puerto.

There might be doping in other sports, but cycling does own the first place position.

Dave.

To which martinvickers replied with this:

erm...have you seen weightlifting?

They were 'threatened' with it too - never happened. And Weightlifting made cycling look clean...

Weightlifting and the Olympics:
The Bulgarians, first thrown out of Seoul, turned up at Sydney and.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sydney/story/0,,371743,00.html
(D!ck Pounds in there)

Maybe they'll have better luck at Beijing?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/weightlifting/7477827.stm

Nope. A mere 11 positives in the team.

Surely London must fare better?

http://www.mail.com/int/sports/other/1479800-2-ukrainian-weightlifters-withdraw-olympics.html

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/...an-weightlifters-withdraw-due-medical-reasons

http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=22926

The gold medal for Olympic doping must go to weightlifting.

 

[D-Queued]

But Mr pound didn't say they should (expression of moral belief, and clearly correct) - he suggested they would - (expression of future planned actions) or might (expression of future possible actions being considered) - and what became clear pretty quickly was that DP was neither entitled to make that suggestion, nor correct in doing so. I understand his frustration, but sometimes you do better to be patient...

Hi Martin,

It is quite possible that he was quoted in context exactly as you have outlined.

Having read a few versions of it, it isn't clear if the "would have to" is a speculation on a future course of action or a statement of fact.

I think the latter (EDIT: I meant to say "I think the former" as in, a speculative case):

The CN reference from above:

Amid speculation that Lance Armstrong may implicate the International Cycling Union in helping to cover up his years of doping, International Olympic Committee member Richard "****" Pound has speculated that cycling's position in the Olympic programme could be at risk if this is shown to be the case.

"The IOC would have to deal with it, the [UCI] is not known for its strong actions to anti-doping," Pound said to Reuters.

Here is the full quote:

"We could say, 'look, you've clearly got a problem why don't we give you four years, eight years to sort it out'," Pound said.

"And when you think you're ready come on back we'll see whether it would be a good idea to put you back on the program.

...

The only way it (cycling) is going to clean up is if all these people say 'hey, we're no longer in the Olympics and that's where we want to be so let's earn our way back into it'," Pound said.

"The IOC would have to deal with it, the (UCI) is not known for its strong actions to anti-doping."

^^^ Please note that CN only used this last sentence, taken liberally out of context.

That sentence has been taken even more liberally out of context on this thread.

In which case, as noted, the IOC rep from Sweden was denying an action that was only discussed in a purely speculative case.

Dave.

 

[The Hitch]

There might be doping in other sports, but cycling does own the first place position.

Dave.

Based on what?

 

[D-Queued]

Based on what?

Please see above.

Response #1: Argumentative

Based upon:

1. The complete failure and complicity of the sport's leadership and governing body
2. Based upon case history
3. Based upon Lance

That should be good enough for starters.

Response #2: Curiousity

Who do you think their biggest rival is in the doping corruption contest? What do you think the competition will need to do to take over the #1 slot?

Dave.

 

[martinvickers]

Hi Martin,

It is quite possible that he was quoted in context exactly as you have outlined.

Having read a few versions of it, it isn't clear if the "would have to" is a speculation on a future course of action or a statement of fact.

I think the latter:

The CN reference from above:

Amid speculation that Lance Armstrong may implicate the International Cycling Union in helping to cover up his years of doping, International Olympic Committee member Richard "****" Pound has speculated that cycling's position in the Olympic programme could be at risk if this is shown to be the case.

"The IOC would have to deal with it, the [UCI] is not known for its strong actions to anti-doping," Pound said to Reuters.

Here is the full quote:

"We could say, 'look, you've clearly got a problem why don't we give you four years, eight years to sort it out'," Pound said.

"And when you think you're ready come on back we'll see whether it would be a good idea to put you back on the program.

...

The only way it (cycling) is going to clean up is if all these people say 'hey, we're no longer in the Olympics and that's where we want to be so let's earn our way back into it'," Pound said.

"The IOC would have to deal with it, the (UCI) is not known for its strong actions to anti-doping."

^^^ Please note that CN only used this last sentence, taken liberally out of context.

That sentence has been taken even more liberally out of context on this thread.

In which case, as noted, the IOC rep from Sweden was denying an action that was only discussed in a purely speculative case.

Dave.

fair point, accepted

 

[frenchfry]

Since uber-doper Vinokourov won the road race gold, I couldn't care less if cycling remains in the Olympics or not.

 

[D-Queued]

Since uber-doper Vinokourov won the road race gold, I couldn't care less if cycling remains in the Olympics or not.

Yes.

Dave.

 

[86TDFWinner]

Just for your info, Pantani has never been charged with doping, even if the possiblility was most likely that he did.

The IOC member from Sweden has today denied everything that Pound have said, there is no substance no matter what. But it´s sad to see a member go out and talk for all of them, but the truth is just a frog jumping out of his mouth.

//Fritz

Didnt they take some wins away from him for alledged doping though?

 

[coinneach]

Just for your info, Pantani has never been charged with doping, even if the possiblility was most likely that he did.

The IOC member from Sweden has today denied everything that Pound have said, there is no substance no matter what. But it´s sad to see a member go out and talk for all of them, but the truth is just a frog jumping out of his mouth.

//Fritz

Just for your information, not only was Pantani charged with doping, he was found guilty of a criminal offence, even in Italy!
See cycling news 12/12/00 (it relates to 1995)
He also died of an accidental drug overdose (cocaine)
We are not dealing with "most likely" in this case

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Since uber-doper Vinokourov won the road race gold, I couldn't care less if cycling remains in the Olympics or not.

with this approach, I wonder how many races we will end up with.
Tour of Wellington and perhaps the Baby Giro if the youngsters can be trusted to be clean.

 

[TheInternet]

Agreed. Looks like I wasn't very clear though, as NHL and NBA athletes participate in the olympics in ice hockey and basketball respectively, but don't come close to WADA regulations. I suspect they're pretty heavy PED usage in those two leagues, yet those sports aren't getting any flack about it.

The NHL and NBA are not Olympic organizations. It's up to USA Hockey and USA Basketball to maintain WADA compliance, not the NHL and NBA.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Hi Martin,

It is quite possible that he was quoted in context exactly as you have outlined.

Having read a few versions of it, it isn't clear if the "would have to" is a speculation on a future course of action or a statement of fact.

I think the latter (EDIT: I meant to say "I think the former" as in, a speculative case):

The CN reference from above:

Amid speculation that Lance Armstrong may implicate the International Cycling Union in helping to cover up his years of doping, International Olympic Committee member Richard "****" Pound has speculated that cycling's position in the Olympic programme could be at risk if this is shown to be the case.

"The IOC would have to deal with it, the [UCI] is not known for its strong actions to anti-doping," Pound said to Reuters.

Here is the full quote:

"We could say, 'look, you've clearly got a problem why don't we give you four years, eight years to sort it out'," Pound said.

"And when you think you're ready come on back we'll see whether it would be a good idea to put you back on the program.

...

The only way it (cycling) is going to clean up is if all these people say 'hey, we're no longer in the Olympics and that's where we want to be so let's earn our way back into it'," Pound said.

"The IOC would have to deal with it, the (UCI) is not known for its strong actions to anti-doping."

^^^ Please note that CN only used this last sentence, taken liberally out of context.

That sentence has been taken even more liberally out of context on this thread.

In which case, as noted, the IOC rep from Sweden was denying an action that was only discussed in a purely speculative case.

Dave.

CN misquoting people to give themselves a juicier headline. Good to see high quality journalism from CN again.

 

[FellOff]

Armstrong is changing his surname to Stroker. It's a competition.

 

[D-Queued]

CN misquoting people to give themselves a juicier headline. Good to see high quality journalism from CN again.

I wouldn't go that far myself.

I understood the conditional tense from the quote in the CN piece. Then again, I think Mr. Pound tends to be a pretty rational guy.

I could be wrong.

Dave.

 

[The Hitch]

Please see above.

Response #1: Argumentative

Based upon:

1. The complete failure and complicity of the sport's leadership and governing body
2. Based upon case history
3. Based upon Lance

That should be good enough for starters.

Response #2: Curiousity

Who do you think their biggest rival is in the doping corruption contest? What do you think the competition will need to do to take over the #1 slot?

Dave.

Sorry to prove cycling is the number 1 dope sport like you claim, you have to prove that other sports are better. Not just remind people of all the scandals in cycling.

What you are doing is the equivalent of arguing that the tall guy in your village must be the tallest guy on the planet, because you havent seen anyone who is taller.

 

[D-Queued]

Sorry to prove cycling is the number 1 dope sport like you claim, you have to prove that other sports are better. Not just remind people of all the scandals in cycling.

What you are doing is the equivalent of arguing that the tall guy in your village must be the tallest guy on the planet, because you havent seen anyone who is taller.

Not sure I follow.

Your proposals on the sport most rocked by doping scandal are welcome.

You may not be willing to take my opinion, but I will definitely consider your opinion.

Dave.

 

[neineinei]

D. Pound is absolutely right when he says cycling should be thrown out of the Olympics if it gets proven that Verbruggen as president of UCI helped Armstrong, and/or anyone else, get away with doping.

So should any other sport with an international federation who is helping their members getting away with doping.

But IOC is at least as corrupt and money loving as UCI, they will not do anything about cycling unless it is unavoidable.

 

[Parker]

D. Pound is absolutely right when he says cycling should be thrown out of the Olympics if it gets proven that Verbruggen as president of UCI helped Armstrong, and/or anyone else, get away with doping.

No, they should expel Verbruggen from the IOC - it'll be his fault. A lot of cyclists at Rio (which includes track, MTB, BMX) where little school kids when this was happening. It's not their fault

 

[Mellow Velo]

From the top of the track:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/meares-responds-to-pounds-call-to-remove-cycling-from-olympics

 

[neineinei]

No, they should expel Verbruggen from the IOC - it'll be his fault. A lot of cyclists at Rio (which includes track, MTB, BMX) where little school kids when this was happening. It's not their fault

Track, BMX and MTB is under UCI just as much as road cycling is, their president is Pat McQuaid and their honorary president is Hein Verbruggen.

Don't forget that the only cyclist that was sent home from the London Olympics for doping is a track cyclist (Victoria Baranova).

 

[stainlessguy1]

you got it !

Pound has personal issues with both Hein and Pat(not surprising)He doesn't mind if he $*%#s cycling as long as he get's at them.

there is the thought of the day . ! correct .

 

[Mellow Velo]

Track, BMX and MTB is under UCI just as much as road cycling is, their president is Pat McQuaid and their honorary president is Hein Verbruggen.

Don't forget that the only cyclist that was sent home from the London Olympics for doping is a track cyclist (Victoria Baranova).

So, for the "dirtiest" Olympic sport, that's a pretty good record, then?

Baranova came as no surprise to me.
Went over to the dark side two years ago.
Possibly, the only track positive of the year?
Not sure.

 

[stainlessguy1]

what D.P. said ,

What **** Pound said regarding removing cycling from the Olympics must surely of been a brain fart.
These things happen, but I think before we single out entire sports from the Olympic Corporate Entity of billion dollar money makers for nations we should look at some alternatives.

Perhaps its time to go back to basics and review what the Olympics are supposed to stand for. Perhaps the idea of having Pro's compete in the Olympics is longer overdue for a complete overhaul.

The ideology of the phrase * Stronger , Higher , Faster * also should be changed, as it is in direct conflict of the theme that sports are supposed to accomplish for our existence as humans, that would be to promote a healthier life style.
Stronger, higher, faster; That does not end in a healthier life style when done professionally. ( over the long run of a life span the carnage is devastating)
The phrase * Unity thru Sportsmanship and Friendship * might be a better approach just for example.
ONCE the Blood Lust is removed from the human psyche then the drug use will diminish on its own.

All professional athletes should once again not be eligible for Olympic competition. Period.