USADA's Reasoned Decision 202 pages

[frenchfry]

Creepy Lance. What's he doing preying on women like that?

Obviously he figured out that one of the best ways to control a man is to go through his woman. Betsy was an exception.

 

[Ferminal]

Сould anyone explain why the face and the name of motoman are censored in the documents?

Probably facing a criminal investigation in France.

 

[Fortyninefourteen]

Levi should have knocked the sick sociopaths block off for texting his wife like that.

If that would have happened in any other pro sports team, there would have been a quality 'adjustment' made to that guys attitude. No doubt.

 

[Lukenwolf]

Very important post. Please give some thought to why this happened in Germany more than elsewhere, and what it would take to resurrect cycle racing interest in Germany. The new UCI may learn something.

There is almost no way to resurrect interest in Germany - at least not it a very long time. Ullrich and Team Terrorkom has put cycling into the coffin and the USADA report puts the final nail to it. Everything short of a complete reformation of the UCI will never cut it. And with that a reformation of the races has to go along, too. People are simply unwilling to believe any longer that one can go 200+ kilometers at full throttle every day for three weeks without crawling at a snails pace by week 3. The achievements have to become believable.

Cycling has become so dead over here, coverage about the UCI's complicity is practically non-existent. Nobody bothers. I followed the news yesterday and the longest newfeature about the case was 7 minutes long. Most of the newsfeeds went like:

"Oh, yeah, before we hand over to the wheather man... Uh, the USADA has delivered a 1000 pages document that proves the systematic doping at USPS. Phat surpsize. And now the wheather..."

 

[Descender]

Very important post. Please give some thought to why this happened in Germany more than elsewhere, and what it would take to resurrect cycle racing interest in Germany. The new UCI may learn something.

What it would take... a miracle? Nothing short of that, I'll tell you...

I wasn't living in Germany in those years, but I'd say it's pretty simple. It seems to me the German public has the impression cycling is way, way dirtier than any other sport, and tolerance towards cheating is very low within the German culture. At least as opposed to other cultures I know well.

What I respond is generally "well, one can't pass an objective judgement on the dirtiness of a sport in relation to others unless all sports are subject to the same rigorous testing". It is really the only valid counter-argument I can find.

 

[Lukenwolf]

It seems to me the German public has the impression cycling is way, way dirtier than any other sport, and tolerance towards cheating is very low within the German culture.

The first bit, I agree with. Cycling's image is damaged beyond repair. It ranks about as low as synchronized bankrobbing.

The second part however I see differently. Cheating is a national sport in our society. Tax avoidance - even unlawfully - is often described as a national sport. Footballers with dive if you look at them crosseyed. They'll stoop to unbelievable depths to gain a slight advantage. Several high ranking politicians who have doctors degrees have been exposed as plagiators.

My theory about why cycling did take such a bad hit in Germany is, that when all of those petty little national heroes, like Ullrich, Klöden and the rest of the Terrorkom team were exposed as career cheaters, it was like looking into a mirror. We saw ourselves and didn't like it at all.

 

[Microchip]

... they said she made the whole thing up, and then accused her of being a vindictive loony stalker.

Go Betsy!! ...

"Bitter" and "jealous" ... over what ?!?!?! Jealous of Lance ?? Why on earth ?!??! She has Frankie - the total opposite of Lance - a real sweetheart, handsome and with a far nicer head of hair than the Texan. If you asked me, Betsy got the pick of the litter (and elizab I mean all of this in the most wholesome manner, okay! )

Greg (and Tyler in his book) made the truest remark ... that Lance is "not normal."

 

[Descender]

The first bit, I agree with. Cycling's image is damaged beyond repair. It ranks about as low as synchronized bankrobbing.

The second part however I see differently. Cheating is a national sport in our society. Tax avoidance - even unlawfully - is often described as a national sport. Footballers with dive if you look at them crosseyed. They'll stoop to unbelievable depths to gain a slight advantage. Several high ranking politicians who have doctors degrees have been exposed as plagiators.

My theory about why cycling did take such a bad hit in Germany is, that when all of those petty little national heroes, like Ullrich, Klöden and the rest of the Terrorkom team were exposed as career cheaters, it was like looking into a mirror. We saw ourselves and didn't like it at all.

Have you ever lived in Southern Europe?

You wouldn't be talking about Germany in those terms if you had.

You make a good point in your last paragraph though.

 

[Cimacoppi49]

Obviously he figured out that one of the best ways to control a man is to go through his woman. Betsy was an exception.

Betsy is an amazing person. Brava!!

 

[hrotha]

Has anyone explained why Hincapie and Vande Velde are only disqualified for 2 years while everyone else seems to lose ALL the results from the time they admitted to have doped, including beyond the SOL?

 

[webvan]

I thought only Levi had lost beyond SOL, but no, haven't seem any explanation for the different treatments.