Should (or can) Contador come clean now?

[Califootman]

In light of all the information coming out of the reasoned decision, and with the possibility of future actions/investigations that might result from it, do you think it would be in Contador's best interest to come clean now on any past doping offenses? While I haven't seen anything that specifically fingers him in what little of the material I've read, as a member of the Discovery Channel and Astana teams under Johan Brunyeel he's certainly on the fringes of a lot of this stuff. While he may not have been playing hardball the way LA/JB were, there's not much doubt he was in the game.

Would a confession now result in a lifetime ban for Contador? Or would it be handled differently since the doping occurred before the 2010 clenbuterol positive?

If he could come forward voluntarily and end up with a reduced ban (especially if it would be only a 6-month "offseason" ban like the USPS riders received), wouldn't that be better than having the spectre of the past hanging over him as the shield of Omerta is at least cracking and possibly crumbling?

There's a lot of talk of trying to move cycling forward to a new era. Wouldn't it be refreshing to see the (arguable) current leader of the professional peloton embrace that openness, rather than be the Chief of Omerta Enforcement as in the recent past?

I suppose Contador has to wait to see what, if anything, comes from the "truth and reconciliation commission" movement. If that solidifies into something real, he can probably just throw his hat in that ring along with everyone else. But if it doesn't pan out and he doesn't come clean on his own, I think he's going to spend the rest of his career looking over his shoulder, knowing that it could all come crashing down in a moment... and that's certainly not the best way to try to earn your place in cycling history.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

If Contador were to confess to his doping we'd be here until 2015. He is pretty clearly as old skool as they come when it comes to doping and omerta and there is absolutely no chance of him coming clean. Armstrong will come clean before Dertie does.

 

[sniper]

fully agree with MJM here. an admission is not gonna come.

however, we could hope that the usada vs. armstrong file might actually wake up some people in spain, considering the involvement of, well, a certain pepe marti.

Also, Operacion Puerto has recently been re-opened and nobody really knows yet where that is going.
If we're lucky, we'll see some colleagues spill the beans on contador or perhaps even see some tangible evidence surface from the Fuentes case.

 

[SiAp1984]

He will never come clean. But: This guy has "Lifetime Ban" written all over his face now. It can't be too long anymore until somebody points the finger at him. Journalists would pay a fortune for a guy like Leipheimer to write a book and to blame AC for serious doping during his DC-years, for example... Can't wait for it to happen.

 

[ElChingon]

Lets just hope this case eventually has its version open up in Europe, the names then will reduce the 2013 to a race against few remaining ProTour riders and a bunch of Conti and Neo-Pro's.

 

[airstream]

only hole in the head can salvage his honor. nothing will change.

 

[VeloCity]

Doubt he'd ever come clean voluntarily, he's got way too much to lose and nothing to gain, but I get the feeling that ultimately he's doomed. There's too much connection with Bruyneel and Marti for him to come out of this untouched - someone (probably one of those two) will eventually start talking.

 

[ElChingon]

only hole in the head can salvage his honor. nothing will change.

Well he could play the "I was bullied into doping" card, if only to get sympathy, not by us but the other un-informed masses.

Not saying its right, just something to look out for.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Well he could play the "I was bullied into doping" card, if only to get sympathy, not by us but the other un-informed masses.

Not saying its right, just something to look out for.

He's very good at playing the 'I'm just a poor boy from Pinto' and tapping into a strong sense of victimhood.

 

[the asian]

Don't think he'll come clean.
I think he had his own doping program using his trusted people while most probably keeping Bruyneel in the know how.

In Levi's affidavit, it's mentioned that when Levi asked Johan whether there will be a organised team program, Johan first said that since he is a pro he should organize his own program. I think it's a strong indication that Contador had his own program.

Whether he'll be implicated during Pepe Marti's arbitration (if it goes ahead) is anybody's guess.) I'm quite confident he bought his drugs from Pepe.

Or else a guy like Leipheimer must mention him.

It's highly unlikely that his fellow Spaniards(Noval, Hernandez) will sell their stories unless an extremely unlikely investigation by Spanish authorities.

 

[airstream]

Based on how little info about 06-08 the report included, I think USADA are interested in Contador minimally. And there's the only hope for real public reasonance which is pretty difficult to expect from spanish cycling authorities, though.

 

[sniper]

Pepe Marti is key.
If USADA is going to hear him, who knows what comes to light regarding Dirty.
Also, a hypothetical Spanish investigation into Marti might shed some light on Dirty. Ideally there will be some outside pressure on the RFEC, e.g. from WADA, to investigate more thoroughly this time.

 

[Arnout]

Pepe Marti is key.
If USADA is going to hear him, who knows what comes to light regarding Dirty.
Also, a hypothetical Spanish investigation into Marti might shed some light on Dirty. Ideally there will be some outside pressure on the RFEC, e.g. from WADA, to investigate more thoroughly this time.

Who knows with Bruyneel.

However, we know Armstrong and Contador didn't get along. We know that there were likely 7 persons in the 2009 Astana team doping on the same program. Is it a possibility that the reason for them not getting along is that Contador actually opposed the program?

 

[Benotti69]

Contador is old school omerta.

Never gonna come straight out and say he doped.

He may do a non admission similar to Indurain but no he wont spell it out.

 

[henryg]

No one is coming clean unless they have to. Even all the RS confessions claim all the doping ended in '06

Ranks are closing around the 'that was in the Lance era things are cleaner now' story and the UCI is figuring out how to jettison Lance and company and get back to business as usual.

 

[the delgados]

In light of all the information coming out of the reasoned decision, and with the possibility of future actions/investigations that might result from it, do you think it would be in Contador's best interest to come clean now on any past doping offenses? While I haven't seen anything that specifically fingers him in what little of the material I've read, as a member of the Discovery Channel and Astana teams under Johan Brunyeel he's certainly on the fringes of a lot of this stuff. While he may not have been playing hardball the way LA/JB were, there's not much doubt he was in the game.

Would a confession now result in a lifetime ban for Contador? Or would it be handled differently since the doping occurred before the 2010 clenbuterol positive?

If he could come forward voluntarily and end up with a reduced ban (especially if it would be only a 6-month "offseason" ban like the USPS riders received), wouldn't that be better than having the spectre of the past hanging over him as the shield of Omerta is at least cracking and possibly crumbling?

There's a lot of talk of trying to move cycling forward to a new era. Wouldn't it be refreshing to see the (arguable) current leader of the professional peloton embrace that openness, rather than be the Chief of Omerta Enforcement as in the recent past?

I suppose Contador has to wait to see what, if anything, comes from the "truth and reconciliation commission" movement. If that solidifies into something real, he can probably just throw his hat in that ring along with everyone else. But if it doesn't pan out and he doesn't come clean on his own, I think he's going to spend the rest of his career looking over his shoulder, knowing that it could all come crashing down in a moment... and that's certainly not the best way to try to earn your place in cycling history.

Why would Contador come clean when everyone else stopped doping in 2006?

 

[airstream]

I wouldn't be surprised too much to know about Marti still working with Contador on the analogy of Lance and Ferrari. Wher might one find one more such a genuine supplier...

 

[Benotti69]

No one is coming clean unless they have to. Even all the RS confessions claim all the doping ended in '06

Ranks are closing around the 'that was in the Lance era things are cleaner now' story and the UCI is figuring out how to jettison Lance and company and get back to business as usual.

Yeah, it all going to be another whitewash. That was the 'Lance era' forgetting to mention Armstrong rode in '09/'10 long after 2006 when everyone allegedly stopped doping.

The dark era has not passed as Michael Ashenden said, it merely has a new guise.

 

[richwagmn]

The Spanish anti-doping agency are looking into it.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...trong-spainbre89a1el-20121011,0,4958540.story

LOL. No offense intended.

Asking the Spanish anti-doping agency to investigate pro-cycling is a waste of time.

To the OP, Contador will never confess.

At least he has the minute possibility that he could have ingested Clenbuterol to fall back on.

 

[MellowJohnny]

He's very good at playing the 'I'm just a poor boy from Pinto' and tapping into a strong sense of victimhood.

Wasn't Lance too the poor kid from Texas

 

[sartoris]

Another hater thread. Same ole boring stuff. Are you never going to learn ?

 

[JRanton]

Another hater thread. Same ole boring stuff. Are you never going to learn ?

Learn what?

 

[sartoris]

Learn what?

To focus your energies and devote your time to more profitable things than hating Contador.

 

[The Hitch]

if the question asks whether Contador will voluntarily come clean and confess doping for god knows what reason, and watch the people he doped with get moved up a place each in gts, claim they were clean and spit on him like at ricco, then, what do you think?

However if the question is, should wada come a knocking and show him theres no place else to go, will he deny till the end like Lance, or come clean, i think he is more likely to go the levi way, but thats just my impression, as i never so either of them as more than dopers who lied to save themselves, as opposed to lance who actually has the evil gene in him.

As for the more urgent question in this thread -is Contador doomed, well i pray for Contadors sake he didnt go round telling everyone he was doing it and injecting hisself in front of others like Lance did. If not then maybe Brunyeel is the only loose end.

Levi, well they were quite friendly back in San Luis, and by then Levi had been approached and talked no?

Unless Contador has no idea how to play the game then he probably would have known something about it and made adequate preperations. Levi might be willing to limit what he knows to what sells - Lance.

 

[ManInFull]

Who knows with Bruyneel.

However, we know Armstrong and Contador didn't get along. We know that there were likely 7 persons in the 2009 Astana team doping on the same program. Is it a possibility that the reason for them not getting along is that Contador actually opposed the program?

You must be kidding? Maybe they didn't get along well because Armstrong wanted AC to be his super domestique?