Reactions and comments to The CIRC report

[D-Queued]

Why doesn't Cookson sack him?

Not sure how the UCI's governance works (double meaning there), but management usually cannot make changes to the Board.

Dave.

 

[neineinei]

http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/n...form-commission-report-the-winners-and-losers

The Sky Sports fools thinks Armstrong and Froome are winners in the report.

 

[mrhender]

http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/n...form-commission-report-the-winners-and-losers

The Sky Sports fools thinks Armstrong and Froome are winners in the report.

That Froome is the apparent singular active rider contribution is just an absurd mockery telling us how strong the Omerta is...

I mean Froome -Of all people

Rocking the boat is definetely not going to come from the riders....

I look forward to see if/how the peleton and team managements will react to the reports assesment of current doping levels... I bet they will be very quiet..

 

[Gung Ho Gun]

http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/n...form-commission-report-the-winners-and-losers

The Sky Sports fools thinks Armstrong and Froome are winners in the report.

They mention Riis as a winner
It's just terrible to use the term "winner" for somebody who managed to get away with it (for now)

 

[LittleJo]

My regret for not speaking with CIRC is tinged by irony, because I am an ex-doper. For many I will always be a doper; which is true. I, like many others, have worked incredibly hard to create an anti-doping culture within cycling, and yet the CIRC report paints a picture of a new omerta and once again it?s the innocent and clean cyclists who are silent. I wish I could have given them a voice. - David Millar

But you couldn't because you're not innocent and clean???

 

[del1962]

Why doesn't Cookson sack him?

Does he have the power to?

 

[Wallace]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...and-down-uci-lance-armstrong?CMP=share_btn_tw

Cookson talking some of the report:

Since Verbruggen's position is just symbolic, this looks like Cookson using the report for political purposes of his own and also making a public move that looks dramatic but will have no impact whatsoever on the any of the serious problems (that 90%!) the sport faces. Politics and PR, Politics and PR...

 

[DirtyWorks]

Since Verbruggen's position is just symbolic, this looks like Cookson using the report for political purposes of his own and also making a public move that looks dramatic but will have no impact whatsoever on the any of the serious problems (that 90%!) the sport faces. Politics and PR, Politics and PR...

Cookson is asking for a royal abdication.


One of the enduring mysteries of IOC politics are the permanently assigned positions like Hein's title. We really don't know how much Hein is involved at the UCI today, nor the scope of his authority. Another guy like this Sep Blatter, football, and WADA and IOC timekeeping services.

The last interview I found from Hein after his theoretical retirement, he discussed media rights for races at great length. Everything else sounded unimportant. And it probably still is given what's in the CIRC report.

I agree with the idea that the purpose of the report is to fire Verbruggen. Given what was and wasn't published, it makes perfect sense.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Why doesn't Cookson sack him?

He can't. He's permanently assigned. I don't know how that happens, but no one can remove him. Other IOC sports have similar positions.

 

[Irondan]

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/03/news/circ-report-statement-hein-verbruggen_362509

Our pal Hein was the instigator of the corrupt culture at the UCI as confirmed in the Circ report, but remains defiant as ever...

 

[Irondan]

Does he have the power to?

I think behind the scenes Verbruggen still wields a lot of influence, so Cookson has to tread lightly.

 

[bobbins]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...ein-verbruggen-stand-down-uci-lance-armstrong

 

[DirtyWorks]

I think behind the scenes Verbruggen still wields a lot of influence, so Cookson has to tread lightly.

Verbruggen is/was permanently assigned to his role.
Cookson cannot make Verbruggen do anything.

Hein has to leave of his own volition. It's not clear to me what his powers are in his permanent role, but they were clearly very broad. How much he is involved now is an open question.

 

[DirtyWorks]

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/03/news/circ-report-statement-hein-verbruggen_362509

Our pal Hein was the instigator of the corrupt culture at the UCI as confirmed in the Circ report, but remains defiant as ever...

Furthermore, in the relatively rare cases in which the ADC [UCI anti-doping commission] met, it is reported that Hein Verbruggen would be present. It is also submitted that under the presidency of Hein Verbruggen ?secret meetings? were regularly held between Lon Schattenberg, Philippe Verbiest, and the president (referred to by interviewees as the ?Flemish-? or ?Dutch- connection?) to discuss and decide important anti-doping matters,?

I don't know why the CIRC is so obtuse here as that is exactly as the system is designed to operate. When the UCI is the anti-doping authority, they have total authority to do whatever they want with positives.

Hein is half-right in his criticisms about the report. Funny how that works out to paint him in the best light possible.

Typical velonews, that report is weak despite their claims otherwise.

 

[DirtyWorks]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...ein-verbruggen-stand-down-uci-lance-armstrong

Wow. That picture of Cookson is ready to be rendered in stained glass and installed in churches all over the world.

IMO, the whole point of the report is to get Verbruggen to abdicate.

 

[Benotti69]

Wow. That picture of Cookson is ready to be rendered in stained glass and installed in churches all over the world.

IMO, the whole point of the report is to get Verbruggen to abdicate.

I think DW is right. The reason to get Hein to step down is probably because he is sucking too much $$$s out of the sport and others want those $$$s.

 

[Freddythefrog]

It's an insane world

These guys are not living on the same planet as me.

Take 1
Having my tea and just listened to BBC five live interview Hein. Best bit that had the missus and I laughing our heads off was that he stated he thinks Brian Cookson should ring him up to congratulate him that the report confirmed that he and and PMQ were not guilty of corruption and taking bribes from riders as they had been accused. As to working with LA to accept a back dated TUE when this was against their rules - it didn't matter a jot. Hein was innocent !
When asked whether he was going to comply with Cookson's request for him to resign from the UCI he stated he had nothing to say.
[edit: Can somebody with more IT skills than me extract the voice podcast. It needs to listened to by anyone who enters the clinic. Comedy gold !]

Take 2
Lance's statement about CIRC. He and his buddies had a lose-lose choice. I am struggling to see where he get's that from. OK honourable, decent young boys and girls walk away. Lose their dreams but can hold up their heads for the rest of their lives. Big George, Levi, Tyler and the rest are wealthy. They retain the accumulated gains from a career of lies. Haven't they achieved what every criminal dreams of; getting the wealth from others without genuine labour? For any criminal that is a "win". Lance was in the same place. If he hadn't been too much of a pr**k to not resist screwing over Floyd he would still be in "win", lounging under his 7 yellow jerseys.

Take 3
Cookson interviewed earlier on the BBC "It would be wrong to think that doping has now been stopped in cycling". Oh that's right Brian, virtually eradicated in the new "cleans" age, just the odd rotten apple. All those gongs are safe whilst he is on watch. Talking up the empire crew and his future inaction and desire not to look. The Muppet has been handed a report that describes multiple ways that riders get around the blood passport, multiple scams they are getting up to with micro-dosing and the ineffectiveness of the testing regime. Organised team-doping a thing of the past but underground individual doping the current regimen with the amateur side of the sport being endemically corrupted with PED abuse. A great feeder line ! He has a report that 90-20% of the pro -peloton dope so right, let's take the most minimum figure and put it into a commercial business. Brian you are running a shop and 20% of your staff are shoplifters. The business is bust. So in the peloton, who are the 20% who are doping ? Are they the bottle carriers ? Get a grip !

Take 4
Saint David of the planet Uranus. That article in the Telegraph just oozes new omerta and selfishness on a breathtaking scale. "They invited me only they forgot I was then an active professional cyclist who spends most of his time on the road and has a wife and two baby boys at home." (Another one bringing the kids into it - good Lord please preserve me, I have no idea how I brought up my own children, what with having several jobs and still going out cycling. I must have been wicked and deserted them.) I went and had a look at his twitter feed for the period after he retired. He could have got off his ars* and visited CIRC instead of living the same hedonistic life style he has engaged in throughout his mature years. All those vanity tweets could have not been sent, that would have gifted him the time to speak to CIRC. "...once again it's the innocent and clean cyclist who are silent. I wish I could have given them a voice" No David, anyone who is clean does not want you representing them in any way whatsoever. If they wanted to speak to CIRC they could pick up the phone. I think most 12 year olds have mastered that skill. Poor little waifs did not need St David getting on his white charger for them. That so many did not pick up the phone tells me that the 90% figure is probably an underestimate and the "it's all clean now" fairy story you peddle is more BS from the lifelong BS story you live. Go and tweet your special mate Lance again and sign a few more posters for Rouleur magazine. I am sure there are some new fools who haven't met you yet.
I won't quote any more,it is available on line, but I do recommend you have a very large, empty bowl alongside you when you start reading.

Four characters all full of so much BS it is hard not to think they were all made for each other.

 

[Bexon30]

Freddy the frog great post seems standard from you now. I gave up on 5live years ago regarding their cycling coverage/knowledge it's just plain embarrassing, in fact most of the BBC's cycling stuff leaves me in fits of rage. We're living in a new cycling era in Britain where gullible rich men have turned their attentions and ??? to a new exciting sport, which is built on lies, false promises and pantomime. The bubble will pop as the health of certain riders amongst the 20-90%. Forget that sh!t, I ride as I love to I watch because I love the drama and scenery. I travel to races to enjoy life the drugs and lies are for all to see, for the majority though they are being fed fables and properganda. It will stop. It's just a matter of when.

 

[Sciatic]

just scanned CN reports and I'm thinking.................cycling is dodging the truth here?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/31789849

BBC provide a good summary which is rather more scathing

Mark L

Thanks for that link; I would love to see a mainstream U.S. newspaper print that article or something like it. Obviously, the report cops out in terms of pursuing current dopers. But sometimes reports like this can be eye-opening for the general public, which through ignorance also participates in the culture of doping.

 

[Benotti69]

The general public think all cyclists dope. That is long established. Years and years of reports in mainstream sports pages of stories on doping in cycling has the general public probably more clued in then many fans.

It is fans who get emotionally involved with teams and riders who want to believe the UCI has a clean sport as its goal and the testing works.......dream on.

 

[blackcat]

The general public think all cyclists dope. That is long established. Years and years of reports in mainstream sports pages of stories on doping in cycling has the general public probably more clued in then many fans.

It is fans who get emotionally involved with teams and riders who want to believe the UCI has a clean sport as its goal and the testing works.......dream on.

indeed. my grandma knows more than the empire crew here.

hopefully darwin will sort this out.

atleast they have KP and de Pfeffel

 

[mrhender]

Wheels in motion:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...d-his-case-for-reduction-of-lifetime-ban.html

Lance Armstrong to be given opportunity to plead his case for reduction of lifetime ban

UCI president Brian Cookson reveals he has been asked to broker meeting between Armstrong and the USADA in the wake of cycling's independent report into doping

 

[Bexon30]

The general public think all cyclists dope. That is long established.

Not true with the recent cycling fans in the UK, hell I talk to lots of them blind as bats those...

 

[mrhender]

Cookson on current doping level

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...d-his-case-for-reduction-of-lifetime-ban.html

Cookson on current doping level:

Not everyone in the sport on Monday was impressed with its more salacious contents, particularly the wild estimates of former riders and professionals with regard to the current levels of doping.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, David Millar argued that the report had hugely exaggerated the scale of doping within cycling, and was unrepresentative of the peloton as a whole. Millar pointed out that of the 16 named riders who spoke to the CIRC, only Chris Froome was currently active.
Cookson, though, was unrepentant, defending the report. He admitted that it would be good to hear from more current riders but said the estimate made by "one respected professional" that "90 per cent of the peloton" was still doping, which was generally seized upon in the immediate aftermath, was not indicative of the report as a whole.

"One person said 90 per cent of the peloton was still doping, others have said the problem is much, much less than that," Cookson said.
"I'd like to think that it is the latter rather than the former. But there will always be people who will cheat. I think the report is a pretty accurate reflection [of the current state of cycling]."

Cookson said his focus now was on acting on the CIRC's recommendations; introducing a fit and proper persons test, tightening up loopholes with respect to TUEs and the Biological Passport, retrospective testing, and establishing a whistleblower desk.

"This is a new chapter," he concluded. "We are far better equipped now to deal with doping, even than we were a few months ago."

 

[More Strides than Rides]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...d-his-case-for-reduction-of-lifetime-ban.html

Cookson on current doping level:

I don't like to rip on Cookson, but that comment is a little empty. With a range of 20% to 90%, and anecdotes about techniques to avoid testing positive, there is no tangible state to reflect in the report. Even if he there is action that he can (and does) take, taking action on a 90% problem is very different than a 20% problem. Closing UCI procedure is different than changing WADA protocols.