Test me YES; But Have respect ...

[cyclenut]

 

The Paris-Nice race's final stage was delayed by 10 minutes as riders protested at a drugs test imposed on Kevin van Impe earlier this week.

Belgian Van Impe had been preparing for his son's funeral when a doctor was instructed to carry out a drugs test.

Van Impe said he had been threatened with sanctions if he did not go ahead with the out-of-competition test.

"It was either do it right on the spot or it would be taken as if I had refused," said the Quick Step rider.

 

"Given that riders, who are above all human beings, understand and accept the tests that they have to undergo, they expect, in turn, that their dignity is respected," the Professional Cyclists Association (CPA) said in a statement.

Van Impe's son Jayden died shortly after he was born prematurely.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/7299573.stm

[IanJ]

There is a similar story in Lance's book about the testers arriving after his wife had gone into labour and they were about to leave for the hospital.

 

The testers insisted that they must carry out the test. Ridiculous if you ask me.

 

 

[bob_the_builder]

Ya, and sending female inspectors to monitor the guys showering on the team bus, and knocking on the riders hotel doors in the middle of the night during the middle of stage races, and and and, the list goes on about how the riders are treated like animals. I say long live ASO, ban UCI and WADA untill they can pull the sticks out their bums and get with the program...

[slowpoke]

testing in the middle of the night is fine. a few minutes less sleep isn't a big issue. female inspectors monitoring showersw is not acceptable though.

 

and delayingh te departure to hospital is potentially life threatening for the baby - NOT acceptable. holding up a funeral - NOT acceptable.

 

fscking w@nkers.

[bob_the_builder]

slowpoke, if you've ever ridden a stage race, getting woken up at midnight for anything when you have a stage to ride the next day is not acceptable.

[Danger Dassie]

Reckon it would be interesting if other sports were tested like cycling....

[slowpoke]

bob-the-builder, so how will you make sure that you aren't stuck in a room with someone who snores so badly that you can't sleep? a few minutes lost sleep is NOT comparable to delaying a funeral

[bob_the_builder]

Slowpoke, for sure, you can't compare the two, but I still get very frustrated when I read all the various ways that riders get "abused" by the testing routine.

[ewep]

 

bob-the-builder' date=' so how will you make sure that you aren't stuck in a room with someone who snores so badly that you can't sleep? [/quote']

 

Easy, 2 options, beat him/her into submittion (sp???) or 2 use the ear plugs we used when firing the LMG in the army!  On option 2 you should however remember to get someone to wake you up as you will NOT hear your alarm (ask me!!!)

 

[slowpoke]

bob, there are some people who get very frustrated when they hear about all the child "abuse" going on and then parents can't even give their kids a smack on the hand if they steal soemthing - a certain level/amount of "abuse" is sometimes required.

[GreyOwl]

I've been tested SO many times. And I must admit, they were always very good with me. I do feel that as an athlete, if we accept the terms of our licence, its very easy to give a test.

 

But its wrong to go about it that way.

 

And hell, if a woman appeared to monitor my test, sheesh...WADA would be ruined!!! Its called 'human rights'...something I think a lot of these sporting codes seem to think they can override...

[slowpoke]

GO, i'm sure you wouldn't mind if the females were from Pez's daily distractions?

[GreyOwl]

I dunno hey SP?! Theres something very unappealing about urinating in front of someone!!Even worse if she's from Pez's!!

[Willehond]

How can any person with a shred of humanuty turn up at a crematorium and demand something as mundane as a drug test from a grief stricken father?  I am speechless.

 

As for waking riders in the middle of the night I have no problem with that.  The culture of drug taking in the pro ranks is the cause of it and riders just have to live with that unfortunately.  It's their own fault!

[linnega]

In many ways it is the riders that have created a situation where testers view them as individuals who can't be trusted.  The riders needed to form the CPA and stand up against doping a lot earlier.

All that said, the testers attitude is not acceptable when there are obvious mitigating circumstances.  Perhaps the UCI/WADA needs to implement rules where a dope test may be refused and does not count towards the "missed test" tally.  These situations would hopefully be few and far between, but Kevin van Impe clearly is not likely to be doping right now as he is not in competition and has far bigger things on his mind. 

[GreyOwl]

Willehond, I could not agree with you more.

 

The riders take the drugs in secret, but complain when they are tested without warning. As I said, when you agree to the conditions of the licence, accept the written clause that states they can test you anywhere, anytime.

 

But the crematorium is out of line. Thats a disgrace.