gooner said:
I think Bruyneel may have a very good argument about jurisdiction. I have not as yet read the AAA decision which I am sure USADA will release but consider this.
1. The United States Postal Service is an American governmental organization. Even though privatized, it is not a private company in the normal sense. It is like a public utility who still must comply with American law specifically passed for the purpose to govern making stamps and delivering mail, an official function of US government
2. The US government provides some funding to the USPS
3. The USPS Cycling Team was incorporated in the US.
4. The owners of the USPS Cycling Team were US corporations incorporated in the USA, namely Montgomerey Securities (later Weisel Partners), CS&E, and Lance Armstrong, an American citizen.
5. Bruyneel's contract of employment was with Tailwind Sports an American Company set up to manage USPS Cycling and in turn was owned by the same American companies. I suspect LA had some shares in Tailwind as well.
6. The source of the money for Bruyneel's salary was the USPS paid money to Tailwind who in turn paid Bruyneel his salary and probably in American dollars.
7. The USPS Cycling Team was licensed by USA Cycling.
8. Doping by riders on the USPS Cycling Team occurred both in Europe and also on US soil with the active encouragement of Bruyneel (aiding and abetting) so they could dominate American races.
9. USPS Cycling Team riders rode doped in US base cycling races while Bruyneel was DS and while Bruyneel was personally managing the team on US soil.
There has to be more linkage to USADA jurisdiction than the above, but this list is certainly a starting point. Feel free to challenge it.
On the other hand as Bruyneel points out he is a Belgian citizen living in the UK. The problem he will probably have is the Belgian ADA and UKAD will honour the AAA ruling in USADA's favour.
What Bruyneel forgot was to check out, was who he was getting in bed with when he signed on with USPS. His "defence" really sounds like "poor me"