Contador - CAS ruling. (All things Contador/doping - merged)

[TNT1]

Ridiculous indeed, as the Cannibal was most likely drugged to they eyeballs himself.

 

Surely you jest?

 

Or, just maybe, as with most European fans of cycling, doping is irrelevant, it's a part of the sport, always has been, always will. See, me, a passionate fan, I don't give a rats arse who takes what.

 

Merckx has condemned doping but he tested positive three times.^[5] The first time was in the 1969 Giro d'Italia^[6] where he tested positive for the stimulant Reactivan at Savona, after leading the race through 16 stages. He was expelled from the Giro. The controversy began to swirl when his test results were not handled in the correct manner, they were released to the press before all parties (Merckx and team officials) involved were notified.^[49] Merckx was very upset, and to this day, protests his innocence.^[6] He argued there were no counter-experts nor counter-analysis. He said the stage during which he was allegedly using drugs was easy so there was no need. He said: “ At the time, the controls weren't reliable and I wasn't able to defend myself. They had started on the analysis and the counter-analysis during the night, without anyone from my team's being present. They had, they said, tried to get my manager, Vincenzo Giacotto, by phone, but he hadn't left his room all evening. The following morning, I was in my racing clothes, ready to leave, when they came to tell me I was positive and therefore excluded from the Giro.^[6] ”

 

"I've never seen sporting opinion so inflamed," wrote Marcel De Leener from Belgium. "Even members of parliament have got themselves involved in the affair; the Opposition has questioned the minister of public health in the Lower Chamber, the Cabinet is in an uproar, the Foreign Minister has questioned his opposite number in Italy. In the streets, in factories, in offices, in public transport, they talk of little else."^[50] The Italian federation stuck by its findings but the Belgians refused to agree and it took four hours of debate in Brussels for the professional section of the Union Cycliste Internationale to quash his sentence. The president of the Fédération Internationale du Cyclisme Professional was Félix Lévitan, organiser of the Tour de France. It was diplomacy and, "let us be frank, hypocrisy too", reported Cycling.^[51] The hearing praised the Italians and accepted their evidence; however, Merckx was cleared to ride the Tour. De Leener said:

If on the one hand they have recognised the skill and competence of the doctors in charge of the controls in the Giro, they also took into account the fact that Eddy Merckx had never been found guilty of this before. In other words, they judged the affair sentimentally, with their hearts, instead of considering all the dry facts. If this were not Merckx, would all these artifices have been resorted to? No, without any shadow of doubt, no."

^[51]

Prince Albert of Belgium sent a plane to bring him to Belgium.

Merckx was also found positive after winning the Giro di Lombardia in 1973.^[6] He had taken Mucantil (Iodinated glycerol).^[52] “ It was Dr Cavalli, of Molteni, who prescribed it to me a bit lightly [un peu légèrement]. And he admitted his error publicly. Looking back, I can't see why they could disqualify me for such a ridiculous and inoffensive product as norephedrine."^[6] ”

 

Then he was caught after taking Stimul (pemoline) in the 1977 Flèche Wallonne. Merckx said: “ "That, I can't deny. I was positive along with around 15 others. I was wrong to trust a doctor."^[6] ”

In 1974, a Belgian biochemist, Professor Michel Debackere, perfected a test for a group of piperidine stimulant drugs (Lidepran, Meratran, and Ritalin) which were used by pro cyclists. Since they were now detectable, this group of drugs fell out of favor within the pro peloton, and some riders instead used pemoline, another amphetamine-like drug. Then in 1977, Debackere once again developed a new drug test, which could detect pemoline. This test caught three of the biggest names in Belgium: Merckx, Freddy Maertens and Michel Pollentier.^[53]

The World Anti-Doping Agency removed norephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, from the list of banned drugs in 2004.^[6] Merckx said in 2007 that he wanted the Union Cycliste Internationale to give him back his victory: "I was disqualified for taking a syrup which had been taken off the list of forbidden products." At the time, 1973, banned drugs were listed individually; they were later classed by category.

Because of his doping record, the organisers of the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart asked Merckx to stay away. The decision was criticized in the press and by the UCI.^[54] When he confirms his stance against doping, Merckx points out that cycling is unfairly treated compared to other sports.

In the 1990s, he became a friend of Lance Armstrong, and supported him when Armstrong was accused of drug use, stating he rather "believed what Lance told him than what appeared in newspapers".

 

For an interesting debate, try:

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/doping-forum/why-doesnt-anyone-talk-about-eddy-merckxs-doping-positive-tests-228791.html

Edited February 6, 2012 by TNT1

[TNT1]

He never behaved like a teammate but rather undermined the whole race to feed his own ego...

 

Spot on description of Lance you got there.

[zonker]

I find it wrong that its retroactive as he was then employed as a pro cyclist during his suspension......he should be fired from his job and serve his 2 years from today.

damn straight.how can it be a 'two year ban'if he has been riding for eighteen of those months?doesnt make sense

[TNT1]

damn straight.how can it be a 'two year ban'if he has been riding for eighteen of those months?doesnt make sense

 

That, friend, is a question the UCI needs to answer. Like our dangle says, the UCI is the biggest enemy of cycling in the world today.

[onetrackmind]

EDIT: Deleted - repetition. Flame averted.

Edited February 6, 2012 by onetrackmind

[Spark]

Ridiculous indeed, as the Cannibal was most likely drugged to they eyeballs himself.

You seem to have a lot of "inside" info, from Merxk to Froome. Wow!

[TNT1]

You seem to have a lot of "inside" info, from Merxk

 

Do you have google?

 

Type "eddy merckx fail drug test" into the googlie...

[Wyatt Earp]

You seem to have a lot of "inside" info, from Merxk to Froome. Wow!

Seems like you don't trust or believe me ?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Contador v Froome?

 

You reckon, so quickly?

 

I dont know, I have no doubt Froome is a great talent, but he really has never been a leader in a tour as far as I know. Okay he may have taken over a little from Wiggins last year, but it takes a little more than that to win a tour.

 

I think he has stepped up tremendously over the last few years but very few riders are able to win a grand tour so quickly. Maybe with a bit more grooming in leading a team its possible, but overall I still think Wiggins is the natural choice when it comes to hedging your bets.

Edited February 6, 2012 by GrumpyOldGuy

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Unless he packs the sport in entirely?!!

 

Indeed, did he not threaten to do so at one stage.? I hope he doesn't but personally I wouldn't blame him.

 

I see the UCI is suggesting to CAS he be forced to pay a 2.4 million euro fine, which I see he will contest and good for him, why bother dealing with these deadbeats, if push comes to shove tell them to stick it and retire - nobody wins then, but it seems that's the way the UCI rolls.

[Big H*]

Yes,so he can race from August.

 

Is he taking part in the August?????

[Tumbleweed]

Good read: http://tinyurl.com/7l7sjwq

[TNT1]

Good read: http://tinyurl.com/7l7sjwq

 

Brilliant: "Where the trouble started between Contador and "The Boss." Connection?"

 

AC: I’m very confused. I was told after spending all this money that I was protected like Armstrong was protected, and I was the new “anointed one,” I’m not sure how we ended up here.

 

Lol'd so hard, I had my breakfast beer coming out my nose.

Edited February 7, 2012 by TNT1

[Big H*]

Good read: http://tinyurl.com/7l7sjwq

 

A doper is a doper. No justification for that.

[TNT1]

A doper is a doper. No justification for that.

 

I think it is a tongue in cheek kinda article. I don't think there was an actual interview...

[Agteros]

@planetcycling: Contador won 471 point last year. Saxo Bank, 696. That means, without Contador, Saxo won only 225pts!!! Not enough to stay in 1st division!!

 

Will they, or won't they?