HOLY showtime!!! Amstrong accepts life ban!!!

[Magnus]

Did anyone catch the full interview between Phil Anderson and the Four Corners journo - it included bribery allegations.

The Journo showed Anderson video footage of cyclist Stephen Swart swearing under oath that Anderson and Armstrong met him (Swart) in a hotel room to pay him (and his Coors team) $50,000 not to challenge Armstrong in the second of 3 races that make up the Triple crown series in the US (in the early 90's I think). Armstrong had already won the first leg and needed to win the next two legs to secure a $1,000,000 bonus. Armstrong won all three races and the bonus.

Anderson's response to the question about the truth of the allegation was, in my opinion, tentative and highly unconvincing. He said that he couldn't remember the meeting or the bribery offer and added that "this doesn't say it didn't happen". Which one of us could forget whether or not we ever offered 50K to someone for whatever reason? This sounds to me very much like a non-denial denial.

Anyone see it?

[sogood]

LA has stepped down from the board and Livestrong will likely to continue until it runs out of money or reinvent its image. Take the glass door sticker down and all will continue.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Prior to the release of USADA's findings, who were you aware of?

You mean apart from Mark Roland, Nathan O'Neil, Carey Hall and Stephen Pate ?

Those, and these are just some in last few years that have actually been formally issued sanctions:
Mark French, Gregory Ball, Graham Rootes, Josh Cornish, Michael Stallard, Gregory Ford, James Kelly, Stephen Hines, Jules Amos, Stephen Sabine, Andrew Burne, Daniel Galea, Andrew Wyper, Hilton McMurdo

Prior to that there was Martin Vinnicomb, the whole "injection of vitamins" mess with the AIS track sprint squad prior to Athens Olympics, and sadly Jobie Dajka taking his own life some time later.

That's just tip of the iceberg of course since of course we know that the vast majority of dopers don't actually end up with positive doping controls, and very few of these are from the second half of 1990s and first half of 2000s - the biggest doping period in cycling.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Did anyone catch the full interview between Phil Anderson and the Four Corners journo - it included bribery allegations.

The Journo showed Anderson video footage of cyclist Stephen Swart swearing under oath that Anderson and Armstrong met him (Swart) in a hotel room to pay him (and his Coors team) $50,000 not to challenge Armstrong in the second of 3 races that make up the Triple crown series in the US (in the early 90's I think). Armstrong had already won the first leg and needed to win the next two legs to secure a $1,000,000 bonus. Armstrong won all three races and the bonus.

Anderson's response to the question about the truth of the allegation was, in my opinion, tentative and highly unconvincing. He said that he couldn't remember the meeting or the bribery offer and added that "this doesn't say it didn't happen". Which one of us could forget whether or not we ever offered 50K to someone for whatever reason? This sounds to me very much like a non-denial denial.

Anyone see it?

Nothing to see here, move along....

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Nothing to see here, move along....

Sorry, was just absent mindedly channelling my inner brentono

[ningnangnong]

Rabobank to cease sponsoring professional cycling teams - http://www.rabosport.com/news/item/25789

I wonder if we'll see many other sponsors follow suit?

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Rabobank to cease sponsoring professional cycling teams - http://www.rabosport.com/news/item/25789

I wonder if we'll see many other sponsors follow suit?

Not to mention all the potential sponsors that will definitely stay away...

[sogood]

Not to mention all the potential sponsors that will definitely stay away...

UCI probably had this concern when they realised how big this whole deal is. In effect, it got sucked in. Or rather, the whole sport sucked itself in.

[find_bruce]

Might want to be careful about references to Mark French seeing as the CAS overturned the ban & he has so far been awarded $350,000 & $175,000 in defamation proceedings

[exadios]

Remember that until this week, Australian riders had been beyond reproach. I'm not naive.

Then we have evidence of a multiverse.

A question to all theoretical physicist on the board: What is the least number of universes necessary to ensure that no Australian professional cyclists have doped?

[greyhoundtom]

Remember that until this week, Australian riders had been beyond reproach. I'm not naive.

Then we have evidence of a multiverse.

A question to all theoretical physicist on the board: What is the least number of universes necessary to ensure that no Australian professional cyclists have doped?

Somewhere over the rainbow, there’s a magical land

[ColinOldnCranky]

Remember that until this week, Australian riders had been beyond reproach. I'm not naive.

Then we have evidence of a multiverse.

A question to all theoretical physicist on the board: What is the least number of universes necessary to ensure that no Australian professional cyclists have doped?

There would be a finite solution to your question but it would be pointless to determine. To maintain this nirvana you would have to exponentially increase the number of them with the passage of time.

[exadios]

Cycling’s governing body agrees to strip Lance Armstrong of his 7 Tour de France titles.

“Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling and he deserves to be forgotten in cycling.”

[damhooligan]

Cycling’s governing body agrees to strip Lance Armstrong of his 7 Tour de France titles.

“Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling and he deserves to be forgotten in cycling.”

He should not be forgotten....
he did managed to get 7 tdf titles without getting caught.... (until now)
He did manage to do lots of things.....

Dont forget it.. learn from it
And use it to stop doping!!

One must ask... how could this happen.. and how can prevent it??
this is not just about lance anymore....
There are many people to blame for this...

This should not be forgotten.. ever!!

[ldrcycles]

Dont forget it.. learn from it
And use it to stop doping!!

This should not be forgotten.. ever!!

Spot on.

[DaveOZ]

[ColinOldnCranky]

Now that McQuaid of UCI have accepted USADA's work (it was, after all, easier than to do otherwise, something that the UCI seems to have form on) has stated a desire that Lance Armstrong be forgotten, then a few bike tracks and roads around the planet will need to be renamed methinks.

I suspect tha UCI is really hoping that the Armstrong affair is forgotten, rather than Lance. I truly hope not - there is much to be done including cleaning out UCI.

[JustJames]

Richard Glover on ABC yesterday evening (paraphrased):

"Of course the real worry in the wake of the Lance Armstrong debacle is that young drug users will now start to think that cycling is cool."

[ColinOldnCranky]

In the last week or so Phil has been creeping towards a mea culp but doing his best to not admit to denial in the face of evidence (as well as obscuring or denying has his own responsibility from his profile in cycling or any proffesional obligations as a speialist journalist).

So, his reasoning as to what finally convinced he has been backing the wrong story makes no sense. Except to not have to admit wanton disregard for the evidence that was there all the time.

""I am like everybody else. I had no idea such an in-depth drug scheme was taking place.

Yeah - there was no reason for Phil to be concerned. And no-one else harboured any suspicions either.

Yep, nothing that went before was convincing or worthy of his won proper assessement. Nope - Phil came to the right conclusion finally with this piece of self serving logic:

"If there were any lingering doubts as far as I was concerned, when Nike and all his sponsors pulled out, but continued to donate to Livestrong, quite clearly a deal was struck.

"We’ll donate to Livestrong Lance, providing you leave the company as chairman’.

"That’s about the nearest I think we’re going to get to a confession from Lance. And if he does confess, that leaves him wide open to a myriad legal entanglements."

Yep, the logic is compelling Phil And everything before this was just fluff.

Lifted from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/cycling-commentator-phil-liggett-says-lance-armstrong-made-a-fool-out-of-him/story-fnbk754t-1226500550404

[The 2nd Womble]

Get on board the bikePure train and lend your support people. They're one of our best bets for a better cycling future.
I got Alex Morgan and his WR Jnr Pursuit WC'S mates signed up with them, and I've just passed on details of 2 more rising Aussie juniors that are chomping at the bit to commit to a clean future for cycling.

[twizzle]

Richard Glover on ABC yesterday evening (paraphrased):

"Of course the real worry in the wake of the Lance Armstrong debacle is that young drug users will now start to think that cycling is cool."

McQuaid disgusts me : "Forget Lance" ... "Whistleblowers are scumbags". Ahole McQuaid is the one who should be forgotten.

[schroeds]

Really good analysis of the McQuad announcement here http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/oct/22/uci-mcquaid-usada-armstrong.

Meantime, if there's a phd in denial these two would sail through

[Ross]

Kimmage counter attacks by suing Verbruggen and McQuaid

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/13195 ... z2B0pabEQH

[twizzle]

Kimmage counter attacks by suing Verbruggen and McQuaid

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/13195 ... z2B0pabEQH

Lol - when I have some spare money, I'll add to the fund. Go Kimmage!

[schroeds]

+1

The brave and righteous are stepping forward. It's a new era dawning. Bring it on.