Riccò hospitalized for possible kidney ailment

[ulrikmm]

YEs, that might be the case. However making it public to the media is completely beyond his obligation to come forward when a crime is committed and is probably a serious breach of his professional duty and he should be sanctioned because of it

Anothe possibility is that Ricco (if he is not in coma) or his family have chosen to play true (under influence by the serious situation) and asked the doctor to inform the public. This is the most likely, in my opinion.

 

[Jamsque]

Wow, this is sad. Ricco does seem to be a desperate man willing to do anything to win, and it keeps catching up to him.

 

[roundabout]

YEs, that might be the case. However making it public to the media is completely beyond his obligation to come forward when a crime is committed and is probably a serious breach of his professional duty and he should be sanctioned because of it

Where does it say in the article that it was the doctor who made it public?

 

[Barrus]

Where does it say in the article that it was the doctor who made it public?

I don't know, people in this topic said so, I don't read Italian

 

[ulrikmm]

Link about transfusion reactions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfusion_reaction

 

[Barrus]

The Gazetta article suggests that this is a case of autotransfusion = blood doping.

Something has gone wrong: the blood can have been degraded, infected, or mistakenly the blood of somebody with another blood type has been used.

Ricco is clearly in mortal danger.

This highlights that doping is a disease of the m i n d.

Caught under embarrassing circumstances once, and now risking life. Sad.

About this, this might be a strange question, but for what reason would Ricco use blood doping at the moment?

 

[ulrikmm]

Why?

To boost performance?

Old habit?

Thrill seeking?

 

[hrotha]

Where does it say in the article that it was the doctor who made it public?

Well, it's right there in the subheading and alluded to in the headline itself.

"Riccò mi ha detto ho fatto un'autotrasfusione" - "Riccò has told me he's done an autotransfusion"
Clamorosa testimonianza del medico dell'ospedale di Pavullo - Shocking statements by the doctor of the Hospital of Pavullo

 

[Barrus]

Why?

To boost performance?

Old habit?

Thrill seeking?

Well boost performance is the only thing I can see that makes any sense, however blood doping at this stage in the season seems so odd to me

 

[euanli]

practice?
wanting to train hard?

 

[hrotha]

Well boost performance is the only thing I can see that makes any sense, however blood doping at this stage in the season seems so odd to me

Didn't someone say that with the biopassport in full swing dopers might be forced to do transfusions throughout the year to keep their blood levels stable?

 

[BotanyBay]

I can't imagine cyclists transfusing anything in January or February. No need to do that when they can microdose EPO and dilute the blood with IV saline in their build-up.

 

[ulrikmm]

Old article, but the headline is too true:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/riccardo-ricco-the-cobra-is-dead

At stake:
1. Career
2. Health
3. Life

No. 1 is lost - No. 2 and 3: time will tell.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

According to the Gazzetta, the prosecutor placed the medical report on the public record, so it is possible the quote came from that report. There is no indication anywhere that I can see that the doctor spoke with anyone from the press.

Susan

 

[Roland Rat]

Well boost performance is the only thing I can see that makes any sense, however blood doping at this stage in the season seems so odd to me

Would there be any benefit to blood boosting for a heavy base-phase block?

 

[BotanyBay]

Didn't someone say that with the biopassport in full swing dopers might be forced to do transfusions throughout the year to keep their blood levels stable?

Good point.

 

[Barrus]

Didn't someone say that with the biopassport in full swing dopers might be forced to do transfusions throughout the year to keep their blood levels stable?

Now, if this is the case it would be very interesting to see whether Ricco will come out to say this, especially since if it was doping related he will have a lifetime ban either way. This could easily blow up the entire biopass

 

[ulrikmm]

Perhaps the practice is to infuse small amounts of stored blood every week?

If you have a transfusion reaction, even small amounts of blood could set the reaction off.

 

[BotanyBay]

This could easily blow up the entire biopass

You know Pat "Deny! Deny!" McQuaid. He'll never agree that his program is dangerous.

 

[Rocksteady]

Well boost performance is the only thing I can see that makes any sense, however blood doping at this stage in the season seems so odd to me

This was my thought too. Why blood dope now? Thats only useful if you are needing recovery right? Just test driving the program he would have used later in the season?

On a personal level, I hope the guy gets better.

 

[Jamsque]

I would imagine it is simply Ricco's desperation to win and satisfy his new sponsors. He knows they took a risk hiring him, he knows that if he doesn't perform well early in the season he won't get to ride the big races he loves.

 

[rolfrae]

Was this part of his Mapei Centre training plan?

 

[ulrikmm]

The important prep for elite racing:

Tires pumped.

Fridge running. Allways.

 

[euanli]

This is really distressing me. This year things just seem to be murkier and murkier.

 

[BotanyBay]

Perhaps the practice is to infuse small amounts of stored blood every week?

If you have a transfusion reaction, even small amounts of blood could set the reaction off.

Well, Omerta will prevent us from ever knowing the truth. The docs that helped him do this will never admit, and Ricco will probably never implicate anyone.