Jump to content

Astana to lose its license?


NeverEnder

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 34
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I saw this. I really like Nibali, but I have to say, it looks fair. If there was, as the article suggests, a significant difference between their claimed anti-doping procedures and culture (upon which they had their licence for 2015 conditionally granted) and the actual on-the-ground practices as audited, then there is no way the sport can allow them to ride.

 

I must say, I think Cookson has handled this well. He didn't overreact to the doping revelations in Astana last year, instead he set up a proper investigation and did things transparently and quickly. The sport would look very different if his predecessors had worked in the same way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Massive call if carried through and would be a marker in the ground from the new Cookson era. 

 

Astana (and it's former incarnations) has been built on shaky ground since the beginning and has employed unrepentant former dopers as rider and management a matter of course. Hardly a way to build a clean culture in the team. 

 

You have to feel for Nibali. wonder what his options are to defend if it goes through. You'd think all the teams are at full capacity budgets fulfilled. Add to that his prep is built around his team for the Tour and probably wouldn't have the ability to take 4 or 5 key riders with him somewhere new. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good news - Don't tel me Nibali is/was not aware of the culture in the team and the risk of staying there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good news - Don't tel me Nibali is/was not aware of the culture in the team and the risk of staying there.

On point. Surely in today's society it doesn't matter how clean you are, if you are associated with a team with such bad rep it will work against you at some point. He must have a get out clause in his contract but it doesn't help much at this "late" stage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

might as well suspend every team. Its not like there's a team that doesn't dope.

 

so the UCI's few sacrificial domestique lambs will be a whole team this year to show just how tough they are on doping, mean while in France Contador and Froome push impossible numbers......

 

edit: names above are selected randomly and have no actual significance :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must say, I think Cookson has handled this well. He didn't overreact to the doping revelations in Astana last year, instead he set up a proper investigation and did things transparently and quickly.

 

I can't help but feel that he was to chicken in Dec to do anything about it and waited for someone else to jump first.

 

Maybe i'm just being cynical because of the UCI's reputation.

 

I am totally behind the revocation of their (Astana) licence though.

 

Have to agree with Broker too, no way in Hell does the team leader not know what is going on, if by some miracle Nibs didn't then he isn't a proper leader.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

might as well suspend every team. Its not like there's a team that doesn't dope.

 

so the UCI's few sacrificial domestique lambs will be a whole team this year to show just how tough they are on doping, mean while in France Contador and Froome push impossible numbers......

 

edit: names above are selected randomly and have no actual significance :)

Well if they get caught then they will get suspended...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout