The UCI strikes back

[la.margna]

Does the UCI really believe that anybody with a brain believes their trash, just after the failed cover-up of Dopador's test?

A serious organisation would let a neutral body/organisation investigate the accusations and not comment at all before the outcome.

 

[thehog]

Good editorial.

http://road.cc/content/news/28494-u...ndis-and-rejects-claims-protecting-top-riders

The implication of that statement is one that goes well beyond the allegations made by Landis, however; one reading of it could be that the UCI is arguing that the evidence of a convicted doper carries no weight.

Translating that into the world beyond cycling, that would be the equivalent of a court rejecting evidence from someone involved in terrorism or organised crime against other members of their organisation simply because they had once been involved themselves.

It’s also curious that the UCI, which has been vocal in urging national sporting bodies and law enforcement agencies to take action to combat doping, should have nailed its colours to the mast – however obliquely – at a time when Landis’s allegations are in fact being investigated by the appropriate authorities, and it does itself a disservice by naming neither he nor Armstrong, who it should be remembered has never failed a drugs test, in the editorial.

Instead of waiting for the US investigation to run its course, the UCI seeks to deflect Landis’s assertion that it protects star names by highlighting the case of Alberto Contador, saying, “Today, as the UCI awaits the Spanish Federation’s conclusions regarding the Contador case, his theory seems all the more absurd.”

It continues: “The consistency, rigour and serenity that governed the inquiry, conducted in close cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency, into the abnormal test results of the triple Tour de France winner, should offer the most telling guarantee of our commitment to eradicate doping, regardless of the low levels of product detected, regardless of all the possible justifications, regardless of the rider’s impressive record, and regardless of the additional negative consequences for cycling.”

“And,” it concludes, “even in spite of the slanderous accusations and a habit of being economical with the truth.”

While it has to be acknowledged that the UCI’s stance on the Contador case, and in its earlier pursuit of Alejandro Valverde, do reflect a welcome commitment to stamping out the use of performance enhacing drugs - although it should be mentioned that they only went public on Contador after the story broke - the fact remains that for now, convicted doper or not, Landis has raised some uncomfortable questions that have yet to satisfactorily answered.

 

[Archibald]

The implication of that statement is one that goes well beyond the allegations made by Landis, however; one reading of it could be that the UCI is arguing that the evidence of a convicted doper carries no weight.

Translating that into the world beyond cycling, that would be the equivalent of a court rejecting evidence from someone involved in terrorism or organised crime against other members of their organisation simply because they had once been involved themselves.

I used something similar as a very good sign of LA's guilt - Simeoni. Only the criminals themselves go after the whistleblowers. Simeoni sings, and all of a sudden we had LA going after Simeoni...
Same gig here - Floyd blows the whistle, then just see who attacks him. If his word means nothing, then why would the UCI make such an announcement? Talk about turning the crosshairs on themselves...

 

[Benotti69]

I used something similar as a very good sign of LA's guilt - Simeoni. Only the criminals themselves go after the whistleblowers. Simeoni sings, and all of a sudden we had LA going after Simeoni...
Same gig here - Floyd blows the whistle, then just see who attacks him. If his word means nothing, then why would the UCI make such an announcement? Talk about turning the crosshairs on themselves...

let's hope someone pulls the trigger soon and it is not a single shot but a large magazine with multiple high calibre rounds.

Kimmage was right when he said it is time for clean riders to stand up and make a noise about doped riders, but it is time for more journalists to call it like it really is. but i am not going to hold my breath.

 

[BotanyBay]

Same gig here - Floyd blows the whistle, then just see who attacks him. If his word means nothing, then why would the UCI make such an announcement? Talk about turning the crosshairs on themselves...

When someone gets accused of wrongdoing, watch for their actions to defend themselves. The innocent will almost always dispute the facts. The guilty will attack the accuser and glaze-over the facts (as they'll have difficulty facing those).

Also interesting is that McQuaid seems to be borrowing Mark Fabiani's playbook.

 

[Archibald]

let's hope someone pulls the trigger soon and it is not a single shot but a large magazine with multiple high calibre rounds.

a shotgun type effect would be nice - preferrably with 00SG's thanks!

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

When someone gets accused of wrongdoing, watch for their actions to defend themselves. The innocent will almost always dispute the facts. The guilty will attack the accuser and glaze-over the facts (as they'll have difficulty facing those).

Also interesting is that McQuaid seems to be borrowing Mark Fabiani's playbook.

I heard Mark penned a sweet two-for-one deal...

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

Good editorial.

It continues: “The consistency, rigour and serenity that governed the inquiry, conducted in close cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency, into the abnormal test results of the triple Tour de France winner, should offer the most telling guarantee of our commitment to eradicate doping, regardless of the low levels of product detected, regardless of all the possible justifications, regardless of the rider’s impressive record, and regardless of the additional negative consequences for cycling.”

“And,” it concludes, “even in spite of the slanderous accusations and a habit of being economical with the truth.”
.

Ahhh... I love that comment in particular...

I can only envisage the pudgy talking-heads sitting in a circle and wrapped in safron robes chanting a universal 'ohmm', and finding serenity in their unadulterated ability to shovel more poop than any other group on the planet.

Anyone notice the length of that above quote? That must be the longest sentence in history. You could swap out a few words, and it would make great text for a toilet paper ad.

 

[Oldman]

Ahhh... I love that comment in particular...

I can only envisage the pudgy talking-heads sitting in a circle and wrapped in safron robes chanting a universal 'ohmm', and finding serenity in their unadulterated ability to shovel more poop than any other group on the planet.

Anyone notice the length of that above quote? That must be the longest sentence in history. You could swap out a few words, and it would make great text for a toilet paper ad.

I like your analogy and take it one, graphic step further: remember the scene in the movie "300" where the oracle is consulted? They could not respond until after the solstice or some excuse.
Those diseased, shriveled priests still freak me out when I see the movie again. I'll just envision Pat M speaking the words and try not to laugh.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

if only http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sOeY6ZVG2U

 

[Darryl Webster]

Wow, super tough talk by the toughies at the UCI. Sounds like the lady doth protest too much eh Pat?

The lack of critical thinking is rather amusing. Ex-dopers with no power telling all hurts the sport, but the Governing body of the sport itself issuing childish, poorly written, hack public relations press releases is good for the sport?! If Landis is just a liar with no credibility then why empower him at all with a fire and brimstone press release denouncing him?!

This is what you get with a nepotistic family of inbred alcholic thugs running the UCI.

If only you knew how much this made me laugh ( in a good way!) youd want a fee!
Great post so close to the truth..I`ve met some of these peeps..im sure you must have to!

 

[D-Queued]

If only you knew how much this made me laugh ( in a good way!) youd want a fee!
Great post so close to the truth..I`ve met some of these peeps..im sure you must have to!

Agreed!

Can we somehow wrap that up and send it off to Pat as a group hug?

Dave.

 

[lean mean &green]

Agreed!

Can we somehow wrap that up and send it off to Pat as a group hug?

Dave.

mcquaid/verbrugen/the uci/the wizard oz or whomever created that release provided a nice launch pad for more than a few zingers in this thread. no need to send anything anywhere tho, as paranoid and insecure as these guys appear i'm willing to bet they've already read it.

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

There is nothing to be surprised at in the unprofessional drivel in that UCI statement. The style reminded me a lot of this statement they released about Sylvia Schenk etc. (Comedy gold in the 13th paragraph when the author suddenly lapses into the first person.)

The road.cc writer appears to be cautiously understating Pat's input when he says ..."it would be difficult to imagine that it would have been published without McQuaid’s approval...". I find it difficult to imagine there is anyone but Pat who has the authority to publish rubbish like that without it being edited by their press person. Even if he did only authorize it....incompetent much.

 

[TexPat]

let's hope someone pulls the trigger soon and it is not a single shot but a large magazine with multiple high calibre rounds.

Kimmage was right when he said it is time for clean riders to stand up and make a noise about doped riders, but it is time for more journalists to call it like it really is. but i am not going to hold my breath.

This is one of the things on my Christmas wish list---which is quite short, I assure you.

It's truly entertaining how amateur the drivel is. How many more reasons can they provide to justify their own demise?

 

[AussieGoddess]

There is nothing to be surprised at in the unprofessional drivel in that UCI statement. The style reminded me a lot of this statement they released about Sylvia Schenk etc. (Comedy gold in the 13th paragraph when the author suddenly lapses into the first person.)

The road.cc writer appears to be cautiously understating Pat's input when he says ..."it would be difficult to imagine that it would have been published without McQuaid’s approval...". I find it difficult to imagine there is anyone but Pat who has the authority to publish rubbish like that without it being edited by their press person. Even if he did only authorize it....incompetent much.

OMG that is classic !!!! I cant beleive that is a real press release ... on their own website.

 

[thehog]

There is nothing to be surprised at in the unprofessional drivel in that UCI statement. The style reminded me a lot of this statement they released about Sylvia Schenk etc. (Comedy gold in the 13th paragraph when the author suddenly lapses into the first person.)

The road.cc writer appears to be cautiously understating Pat's input when he says ..."it would be difficult to imagine that it would have been published without McQuaid’s approval...". I find it difficult to imagine there is anyone but Pat who has the authority to publish rubbish like that without it being edited by their press person. Even if he did only authorize it....incompetent much.

Good to see the got the term "witch hunt" in there.

 

[bianchigirl]

Until the UCI fully & frankly address the alarming issues raised in the WADA IO report re: the non testing of high risk riders and the lack of action on AFLD intel to target test then any waffle about Contador - and just how long did they give him to get his story together? - is simply that, a steaming pile of McQuaid BS

 

[thehog]

Thanks Pat for ruling on the Contador case.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/11012011/2/cycling-contador-unlikely-tour-says-mcquaid.html

Alberto Contador is likely to miss this year's Tour de France because of the time the investigation into his positive doping test could take, International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid said on Tuesday.

Three-times Tour champion Contador, provisionally suspended after failing a dope test during the 2010 race, will probably be out of shape or not even cleared to participate in the world's greatest cycling race, McQuaid told Reuters.

"It is not a good place to be for Contador at the moment," McQuaid said in a telephone interview.

"We could assume that it's a possibility that he will not be at the Tour de France."
Spaniard Contador's case is in the hands of the Spanish federation (RFEC), whose ruling on the matter is not expected before the end of the month.

The RFEC has requested the UCI's expertise on the case and the sport's governing body is trying its best to get back to the Spanish federation "by the end of the month", McQuaid said.

 

[euanli]

Backing Team Leopard all the way indeed Pat.

 

[D-Queued]

Thanks Pat for ruling on the Contador case.

...

"We could assume that it's a possibility that he will not be at the Tour de France."

...

***, U, me.

Dave.