LEGENDARY FRAUDS

Just been watching  " Aljazeera "program "South to North " where thez were discussing " boosting " , a practice that can lead to Health problems , but also a 10 % boost in the resulting effort ! In the studio was Oscar Pistorius ( Blade Runner ) with 3 other guests , one of whom was a Professorial level expert .

Brought to mind a character that has caused huge Headlines this year , Lance Armstrong . Read in another blog that he has al but disappeared but the " Jokes " have grown in volume :

Originally Posted by Merckx index on CNF clinic :

  "  I’m a little astonished there aren’t many floating around on the internet, and no very good ones that I’ve come across. Surely his legacy won’t be complete until he inspires them?

Q: What is the most positive thing you can say about LA?
A: Probably his blood.

Q: How was LA able to pass hundreds of tests?
A: By ignoring calls from the tent, and just moving on.

Q: Didn’t LA do a lot of good for a lot of people?
A: Yes, he distributed PEDS to more teammates than any other rider.

Q: How much is LA currently worth?
A: It depends. Do you mean on the black market, or over the internet?

Q: Wouldn’t LA have won on a level playing field?
A: Yes, if the field had no hills, and numerous opportunities for taking short cuts.

Q: Name one race LA won without the use of PEDs.
A: Stage 16, 1995 Tour de France. Ridden in honor of deceased rider Fabio Casartelli, the peloton allowed LA and Casartelli’s other teammates to cross the line first.

Q: Was it impossible for a rider to say anything bad about doping while LA was riding?
A: Not at all. Information on the drawbacks of any particular substance or procedure was always welcome.

I honestly can't spot what's supposed to be funny in the last few Q&A's, they're just factual information? "

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Recently many Blogs and Forums have been active in discussing the Changes needed so as Cycling can have a future . Quite rightly it is necessary to determine whether changes will be either :

A    Personnel , getting rid of phat & heinous ?
or
B     Changing the Constitution and the mission of  " UCI " ?

An example of the discussion :

  "  babastuey comment :

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=19415&page=19 "

  "  And to add to my earlier comments on "Change Cycling Now" vs. "Change the UCI President Now" -- changing the leadership I feel is only a small component of changing the sport.

Ultimately, what needs to change is the mindset of the people who take the drugs. What most amazed me about reading Hamilton's book was that he blood doped and took whatever he was given -- seemingly without any thought to his health or well being. Change Cycling Now should use their members who have a doping past to speak about their personal experience and talk about the hazards to their well being from doing it. The goal being, that they should change the perspective of the riders -- so that they focus more on the dangers and the risks. Changing the UCI leadership would be helpful in this area, because it would present an opportunity to set up a system where riders can feel empowered -- that they have an advocate and a support network in the event that they are pressured by anyone associated with their team into doping -- and therefore can stand up to it. Before, riders either had to cheat or quit. Some quit, but most decided to cheat because they weren't educated about the health risks and they lacked the support to stand up for themselves and say no.

What also needs to change is that the sport needs to prove to its supporters -- who drive the efforts of sponsors to be involved in the sport and therefore provides the funding for the sport -- that the sport is clean and heading in the right direction. Otherwise, more sponsors will follow Rabobank out the door and cripple the sport. In order to accomplish this, the drug testing must be improved and the system as to how tests are administered must improve. Changing leadership would also be instrumental in this area as well.  "

Another Blog i visited recently had this to say about " Sponsors " :

http://justaguyonhisbike.blogspot.ca/2012/11/are-you-stakeholder-in-cyclings-future.html

 " Will there yet be more withdrawals, like that of Rabobank, because it no longer makes sense to companies to be connected to a sport with a reputation sullied by years of carefully organized coverups of cheating?

The sad truth is the aftertaste of L'affaire Armstrong will remain bitter for perhaps years to come.

Very few Racers are choosing to breach the " Omerta " but there is another example below :

http://justaguyonhisbike.blogspot.ca/

 "  In the end, cycling—and any sport, really—is about personal achievement rather than beating the world . Canadian cyclist Will Routley put it rather well this week :

  "  I compete to see how good I am, and test the limits of my capabilities. If I dope, then I am really cheating myself. I am happy to remind anyone that will listen that you can indeed be a professional athlete without drugs. You can even win."

So it comes down to zero tolerance being about looking in the mirror and about being honest with the face in the mirror first and foremost. "

Moreover, zero tolerance should not even be called that because of the notion it will just lead to more sophisticated cheating and deeper covers for the secret keepers. So rather than oust from the sport someone who admits, ten, twelve, or even two years after they cheated; make them do something good for sport. Send an admitted doper to local schools and sports clubs—not

This is what we need to see cyclists doing: making a commitment to bettering themselves through the way they live rather than through the PEDs. "

OMERTA is the elephant in the room , for any Racer . Until there is a willingness to address the problems , without fear of reprisals by the hierachy , no current Pro World Racer is about to cut off his  Employment Prospects. So many of the current racers faced with the type of Ultimatum served up by Team Sky , will seek another Team , rather than be bullied into revealing information of which they may be aware . 

To my mind , these people are defrauding themselves , since 99% of Fans , now feel comfortable with treating their efforts with suspicion ! Too bad for those Racers that are genuinely " Dope & PED Free "!