Eurosport is reporting that the teams of the Pro Cycling Tour are turning on themselves in an attempt to evict Phonak and Astana. Phonak obviously has some issues and Astana-Worth was the primary focus of the Spanish investigation; however, the Astana riders were all vindicated. The article says:
With every team, except for the two threatened ones and the French squad AG2R, represented, the AIGCP asked the International Cycling Union, which governs the distribution of professional licences, to consider the validity of both Phonak’s and Astana’s pro spots by Monday.
They also asked that the UCI to reveal all the names of the riders implicated in the Operation Puerto doping scandal.
Props to AG2R. It’s really hard to be the lone island of sensibility is an ocean of shame, but I see they’re making a go of it. SHAME ON YOU everyone else! It must be nice to be able to point the finger at others; however, you are setting a dangerous precedent. The next time, it could be YOU! In fact, one wonders what exactly CSC and T-Mobil are thinking. You were also implicated in doping as I recall. In fact, if they are going to do this to Phonak and Astana, they should change the rules completely.
Here’s what I propose:
- Any team with a rider implicated in doping should be immediately removed from the pro tour for a period not shorter then ten years.
- Any rider suspended for doping should receive a lifetime ban.
- Any official who does not follow procedure TO THE LETTER OF THEIR CHARTER should be immediately removed from their position and receive a lifetime ban.
- The chain of command associated with an official who does not follow procedure TO THE LETTER OF THEIR CHARTER should be removed from their position and receive a lifetime ban.
- Any race who has participant implicated for doping is removed from the Pro Tour for a period not shorter then ten years.
- The national body of a cyclist implicated for doping will be fined an amount not less then five million dollars per incident.
- Any laboratory participating in testing who fails to follow procedure TO THE LETTER OF THEIR CHARTER will be immediately suspended and fined an amount not less then five million dollars.
There, I now think everyone has some skin in the game. If ANYONE fails EVERYONE gets punished. As a result, it will be more just for others to judge the conduct of the few. In the present day, any Pro Tour team that passes judgment on another team should be held to the absolute strictest standards; otherwise, their just as dirty as everyone else.
