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UCI's response to USADA report

May 13, 2009
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As has been said in several posts, it's rumored to come on Monday. The day of the week and the possibility of a press conference are worrying. Normally you'd release bad news quietly around closing of business on a Friday afternoon. It seems the UCI is aiming at the precise opposite. Either their PR guys are morons or they're planning to go on the offensive. Clearly that's not going to happen with a message of 'nothing to see here, cycling is clean now'. Will fat Pat McQuack be made to resign? Or will he appeal to CAS? Will he try to exact revenge on the Garmin 4? Surely something big is going to happen to try to steal USADA's thunder, but what?
 
Mar 19, 2009
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I think Verbruggen really wants to fight WADA but they have to listen to their lawyers. Most every doper in cycling wants Lance to keep his titles, the only dopers who dont like Lance are the North American riders who "experienced him." Lancer still has plenty of laymen supporters if there's a hint of potential innocence. Lets hope he's still screwed & cant come back from this.
 
May 19, 2010
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BigBoat said:
I think Verbruggen really wants to fight WADA but they have to listen to their lawyers. Most every doper in cycling wants Lance to keep his titles, the only dopers who dont like Lance are the North American riders who "experienced him." Lancer still has plenty of laymen supporters if there's a hint of potential innocence. Lets hope he's still screwed & cant come back from this.

I too think Verbruggen wants to fight back, but I don't think he dares. He got furious about the quote De Telegraf used yesterday, about there being no PROOF. His IOC pals might pester him on this. The IOC geezers doesn't like for things to look too bad, and right now cycling looks very bad, having the two gnomes in UCI appeal this to CAS might be just too much for them. And it is too late, how can they overrule Nike and the dominos?
 
May 11, 2009
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Hopefully McQuaid and the other top management will resign from the UCI and the penalty for future doping offences will be a minimum ten year ban (with minor pennulty for accidentally ingesting a banned or suspicious substance).

And perhaps pardon riders who doped in the past (if doping was rampant then everyone guilty).
 
May 6, 2010
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My bet is on an appeal to CAS. But they will portray it as "ensuring the fairness of the proceedings" or something of the sort.

It's kind of like with Contador. I'm sure they wanted to absolve him, having previously covered up his positive. But they couldn't so they sent it to CAS. Likewise, they want to absolve Armstrong. But they can't so they'll send it to CAS.

In all likelihood they will allude to the accusations of corruption and claim that they can't make a decision and be perceived as being fair. This will be a suitable excuse to send the matter up to CAS.

No worries, CAS will uphold the decision, but it will take a long time. Especially if Armstrong continues to "not fight" using his million-dollar lawyers.
 
Jul 12, 2012
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Given Armstrong's close relationship with the UCI, I must believe his is already privy to their intentions. Given that Armstrong's major sponsors have dropped him this week, the implication is that Monday won't be good for Armstrong, because if the UCI was going to appeal, I am sure Nike would have waited until that process was over.

By dumping Armstrong the week before the UCI decision, Nike (and others) retain a sliver of high ground.
 
Jul 19, 2010
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Let's see:

USADA report out, checked.
Waves and waves of doping confessions coming out, checked.
Fans turning their backs on Armstrong, checked.
6 sponsors dumped Armstrong within two days, checked.
Armstrong stepped down as Livestrong Chairman, checked.

From this pattern, I don't see why UCI would challenge it. It's basically pointless to fight for a guy who doesn't fight for himself.
 
Jul 12, 2012
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cocteau_ireland said:
What powers do Wada have over Uci? To what extent can the former enforce change upon the latter? Should they be dumb enough not to ratify usada findings.


I believe that WADA can appeal to the CAS the UCI's decision. If this is true, the UCI's only course of action is to do what Armstrong did and not challenge the USADA, as the UCI certainly does not want to be in the position, just like Armstrong, of live testimony...
 
Sep 25, 2009
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Verbruggen is certified senile. Anyone doubting that, needs to read his ramblings issued in the last few days. Even the mental giant like phat has seen through it...

Then, we have the irish factor - don't give up.

Irish phat with cerebrally and ethically questionable utterings against the irish kimmage and walsh always keeping the focus on facts.


I know the irish that make the ancient breed stand up...it is not phat.
 
Jul 10, 2009
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Cobblestones said:
As has been said in several posts, it's rumored to come on Monday. The day of the week and the possibility of a press conference are worrying. Normally you'd release bad news quietly around closing of business on a Friday afternoon. It seems the UCI is aiming at the precise opposite. Either their PR guys are morons or they're planning to go on the offensive. Clearly that's not going to happen with a message of 'nothing to see here, cycling is clean now'. Will fat Pat McQuack be made to resign? Or will he appeal to CAS? Will he try to exact revenge on the Garmin 4? Surely something big is going to happen to try to steal USADA's thunder, but what?

UCI's hand was forced. Verbruggen had said decision will be next friday. Rabobank pulled out which was a shock and before other sponsors joined just like the avalanche that followed the Nike pull out, they had to make an announcement. They know the sponsors are all waiting for monday, if they fight it, there will be an avalanche. if they skirt around, there will be an avalanche, i am predicting some major changes. The pocket is where it bites the most and Rabobank move was bad
 
I think they will appeal the six month suspensions and rubber stamp the Armstrong sanction. Also whatever text is released will stress how much the UCI done to fight doping.

The smart thing to do would be to use the occasion to announce some kind of new anti-doping effort.
 
jilbiker said:
UCI's hand was forced. Verbruggen had said decision will be next friday. Rabobank pulled out which was a shock and before other sponsors joined just like the avalanche that followed the Nike pull out, they had to make an announcement. They know the sponsors are all waiting for monday, if they fight it, there will be an avalanche. if they skirt around, there will be an avalanche, i am predicting some major changes. The pocket is where it bites the most and Rabobank move was bad

That is a clever post! Thanks.
 
Oct 8, 2012
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BigBoat said:
I think Verbruggen really wants to fight WADA but they have to listen to their lawyers. Most every doper in cycling wants Lance to keep his titles, the only dopers who dont like Lance are the North American riders who "experienced him." Lancer still has plenty of laymen supporters if there's a hint of potential innocence. Lets hope he's still screwed & cant come back from this.



I agree. I think the UCI fights it. That would be incredibly stupid and vengeful, but people underestimate how stupid both Verbruggen and McQuaid are. And I don't say that lightly because of my own distaste for them, but they truly have made some outright ridiculous attempts to bully others as Armstrong has. Just ask Floyd or Paul Kimmage.

This is going to be a big, big showdown. Nike donated a **** ton of money to the IOC the day they dumped Armstrong. So the message is clear to the UCI as the IOC has authority to remove cycling from the Olympic Games. Verbruggen and McQuaid know this, but do you really think they care about a drug-free sport? Or do they care about the perception of a drug-free sport?
 
Mar 19, 2009
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BroDeal said:
I think they will appeal the six month suspensions and rubber stamp the Armstrong sanction. Also whatever text is released will stress how much the UCI done to fight doping.

The smart thing to do would be to use the occasion to announce some kind of new anti-doping effort.

McQuack will probably announce that he's launching an investigation to see if there has been any malfeasance on the UCI's part. I wonder what Emile Vrijman is doing these days.
 
May 26, 2010
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I guess they are waiting till Armstrong squeals like a lil gal at his LieStrong love-in in Austin. When Armstrong admits he doped and blames everyone else for his doping the UCI will announce they find USADA's reason decision reasonable.

Will they fight the 6 months ban? I doubt it. That will prolong their suffering and open more cans of worms against them and might make more people come foward with more stories of money being paid to UCI etc etc
 
Benotti69 said:
I guess they are waiting till Armstrong squeals like a lil gal at his LieStrong love-in in Austin. When Armstrong admits he doped and blames everyone else for his doping the UCI will announce they find USADA's reason decision reasonable.

Will they fight the 6 months ban? I doubt it. That will prolong their suffering and open more cans of worms against them and might make more people come foward with more stories of money being paid to UCI etc etc

See,i'm thinking that's a possibility.As I've posted elsewhere, robin williams is a wonderfully versatile actor and can be manic funny or sensitive n bearded. He's at the gig tonight. C'mon lance, when the breaks are beating the boys,win one for the gipper.
 
Oct 2, 2012
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jilbiker said:
UCI's hand was forced. Verbruggen had said decision will be next friday. Rabobank pulled out which was a shock and before other sponsors joined just like the avalanche that followed the Nike pull out, they had to make an announcement. They know the sponsors are all waiting for monday, if they fight it, there will be an avalanche. if they skirt around, there will be an avalanche, i am predicting some major changes. The pocket is where it bites the most and Rabobank move was bad

The accountants at the UCI may be more influential than the lawyers with this decision.
 
Oct 2, 2012
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Briant_Gumble said:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...race-by-endorsing-USADA-drug-allegations.html

The telegraph are generally pretty reputable I don't know why they would be reporting this with confidence if they didn't have some inside info.

The headline doesn't match the text.

The UCI, which faces serious and awkward questions about its own conduct during a period when Lance Armstrong doped his way to seven successive Tour de France titles, will be under pressure to explain how the sport failed to uncover such a widespread epidemic of cheating, and how it can restore its credibility.