The Vuelta is well and truly underway and Contador is looking good for a podium finish. Now that his suspension period of six months for a two year ban has been served, he is free to return to the ranks of professional cycling and resume his career pretty much where it left off.
There is, however, a problem with Contador’s return to professional cycling – the ‘I didn’t know I took it’ defence.
In the wake of this week’s shock decision by Lance Armstrong to not contest doping charges, it has become quite obvious (well, to me at least) what sports fans and especially cycling fans want from their fallen heroes is often something as basic as an apology. An admission of guilt or wrong doing and then we can all begin the healing process.
I say ‘we’, because I think there is a sense in professional sport that we (athletes and fans) are all in this together. Athletes want our support and we freely give it. We adore our heroes and we are devastated when we discover, like us, they too are human.
Contador’s lack of an apology or any wrong doing is obviously much more complex than what I have outlined here.
An admission of having knowingly taken a banned substance would have incurred a far greater punishment than the one he received and there is of course the constant cloud of doping smoke that follows and clings to the Spaniard.
Do Spanish cycling authorities have further evidence of wrong doing? There are those in the media who are adamant they do.
Was Contador’s average performance in last year’s Tour de France a deliberate ploy to deflect attention in the wake of his impending suspension? Who knows?
Millions of words have been dedicated to all sorts of conspiracy theories and doping in cycling seems to have its own myriad of conspiracies. I’m sure we’re all on top of the many theories floating around about Lance Armstrong, whether you love him or hate him.
This all leads us back to the question of how do we welcome or accept Contador back into cycling? Surely, only those who believe in Contador’s innocence can be glad to see him riding again? And this is the problem with his pleas of ignorance as to how the clenbuterol got into his system.
There is no way for Alberto Contador to apologise for his doping because he remains adamant that he did not knowingly cheat. Cycling fans are polarised between those who believe him and those who believe that where there’s smoke, there’s fire (and let’s face it, there has been a lot of smoke surrounding him). This is why it is so difficult to be enthused by Contador’s return when so many doubts still remain.
On the other hand, a rider like Britain’s David Millar has turned his positive test into a positive outcome, not just for his personal ambitions in the sport, but for the sport itself. He has apologised and atoned for his cheating and through this he has emerged as a man of integrity, who can demonstrate to cycling fans that his current successes are genuinely through hard work and the determination to be the best rider he can be.
Can this be said of Contador? Well, no, because there is no apology and there never can be. Contador will always have a question mark over his head, in some ways like this year’s Olympic Road Race champion, Vinokourov. He too has never apologised for cheating and although I am not questioning his win in the Olympics or his performance in this year’s Tour (I thought he rode some great stages), his commitment to clean cycling is questionable.
This then raises the case of Frank Schleck. As a fan of the Schleck brothers, I felt what many of Contador’s fans must have felt when it emerged that Contador had a banned substance coursing through his body. Frank Schleck has also brought out the ‘I didn’t know I took it defence’ and this seems to me quite a cop out.
Will Schleck, like Contador, use ignorance as a tool for minimising his punishment when he probably is doping? And like Contador, there has been a doping cloud hovering just behind the elder Schleck. Does this cloud extend to Andy too? Let’s hope not.
So, where does this leave cycling? Are we as cycling fans left to despair that the sport will never be clean? Is it good enough to wheel out the old chestnut for some European nations cheating in sport, especially cycling, isn’t such a big deal?
There is no doubt that culturally, countries like Australia and Britain fundamentally deplore cheating in sport but is this true of all countries or is this a cultural myth? How can cycling ever hope to become clean, especially when riders plead ignorance to banned substances in their bodies?
What cycling needs is for dopers to apologise, atone for their actions and then engage in positive steps to acknowledge their errors and genuinely work toward a clean sport.
K
Guest
Keep in mind the rules have changed a lot, included hard-to-avoid chemicals, and been enforced heavily. Of course, go to any amateur event and see all the viagra packages to realize how common basic doping is to at least this sport. However, in defense of the pro's, the rules have kept changing making it hard to predict the difference between maintaining a fully functioning body and illegal enhancement. I know there is also explicit doping in the sport, but it's worth noting the role of changing rules and heavy enforcement in fingering so many athletes. Very few other sports, barring olympics, test as heavily as cycling. Implementing heavy testing standards anywhere else would seemingly disgrace those sports too. American Football for instance?
Kate Smart
Expert
Thanks Alexi. There is something in your comment about society only liking winners but reading reactions to Lance Armstrong has demonstrated that there are many out there more concerned with fairness and clean competitors. I'm not sure what the answer is but hopefully the sport will start to get cleaner.
Kate Smart
Expert
Thanks sittingbison for your positive comments. It's always nerve wracking putting your ideas out there and also fantastic to get positive feedback, especially when you've compared my article to a Pro's, ( I also really enjoyed Tim's article). Thanks also for your great comments on the issue of doping in cycling.
Alexei
Guest
First I'd like to start out by saying the amount of Clenbuterol that was found in Contador's system was 40 times below the minimum standard. So contaminated food, and ignorance is and was a valid defense. However, I will never condemn Armstrong, Contador, Ulrich, Beloki etc., for doping. I have 2 reasons for withholding condemnation. Firstly stage cycling is incredibly tough, back in the old days riders used everything from cocaine to amphetamines to get through a day. Secondly society only lauds WINNERS. The 'domestiques' barely earn a good salary but the top rider gets millions, especially in endorsements. At the end of the day these guys are like any of us. They want to earn money to have a good life, and if our society only loves winners then athletes will always be tempted to cheat to win. It is very natural.
sittingbison
Guest
Kate, sad but true %(( Seriously though, what an article! Great job, with Tim's that's two in a row! Articulate, well researched, great idea to look at a broader aspect of this fiasco. Dick Pound said today cycling could do with a truth and reconciliation commission. I can't see it working yet, the peleton is too ingrained to lie or omertà. Kimmage wants a root and branch prune, get rid of the bad apples starting with Fat Pat and Hein at UCI plus Riis and the Hog etc DSs. He likes Vaughters, but doesn't totally trust him due to some inconsistencies. Personally I would ban guys like Contador on a dual level, permanently initially unless they give a full and frank confession naming the whole ring. If they do, a reduced ban. As it stands AC, Vino and Basso would be out for good. ACakes the sport a laughingstock he only missed half a season with his "two year" ban and is totally unrepentant. Like addiction, the first step is to acknowledge the problem. Without that you get nowhere. I believe Lance disclosure offers the last best hope for cycling to begin the long process to redemption, but basically ALL of these suggestions must occur, and fast.
Kate Smart
Expert
Sadly sittingbison, The Pirate, like all pirates was probably not clean either. I did enjoy your contribution though!
Kate Smart
Expert
Good point Pat about a statute of limitations. I wonder if one will be developed in light of the Armstrong affair?
Kate Smart
Expert
I do agree with you liquorbox, he is very controversial and yes, I think he deliberately does things like ride off on riders who he should show some sportsmanship to. I also have to confess that as much as I don't like him and I think he is arrogant, he is great to watch. I did miss yelling at the tv during the TDF a rather rude version of his name. At least I can do that watching the Vuelta!
sittingbison
Guest
Kate, AC can't apologise for doping because he defended it was contaminated steak but he was found guilty of a contaminated drink supplement. And as there were only seven separate DNA traces on the 2009 Astana transfusion kits, and given one of the team had already withdrawn by that stage it leaves one person innocent (which throws Lance under the bus). Frank was poisoned. And his $8000 cheque to Fuentes was for gynecological services. Vino was mistakenly transfused with someone elses blood, not his own. Basso merely THOUGHT about doping Riis? confessed 24 hours after the statute of limitations. Sorry about that. Lance? They are all bitter twisted jealous losers, or ugly, obese, jealous, obsessed, hateful, crazed bitches. At least The Pirate was clean.
Pat
Guest
I don't like doping, but they are treating it like a crime like murder, where the statute of limitations never runs out. I agree that it helps to hear an apology and then you can be comfortable cheering for your favorite. But I think there should be a statute of limitations for doping.
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
I have never liked Contador, for a number of reasons, he seems extremely arrogant. BUT I am very happy he is back racing, he has really added something to the Vuelta, although I think it would have been a great race with or without him. On top of the supposed chaingate issue was the incident last week when Valverde came off as leader of the race and the peloton kep riding hard, if not harder to get a break. I liked it as I think you should try to win, but many dont see it as fair. I think he just attracts controversy.
Kate Smart
Expert
Hi liquorbox, yes, home countries do like to defend their drug cheats but I think a lot of people defend Contador who are not Spanish. Should I also mention that he has never been one of my favourite riders and I am very biased against him. I can't forgive 'chaingate'! I think I should have made myself clearer in my article though. I didn't mean to imply that as an Australian I excuse the above examples of stupidity. I was trying to suggest that there are cultural myths on a broader scale, including a skepticism about our own myths, which makes your examples very relevant. Thanks for your comments.
Kate Smart
Expert
Hi nickoldschool, I do admit to being bit of an idealist and I do take your point about David Millar. I think though, that the only way to clean cycling up is through education and riders like Millar trying to rebuild his career through his honesty with other athletes and fans. I also agree with you that cycling is one of the toughest sports and yes, every time I watch the cycling the same question about is 'he clean' also crosses my mind, but isn't that the point for trying to change the culture of the sport and ultimately that culture can only change from within.
Kate Smart
Expert
Thanks Jack, I think you've reaffirmed the point I was making, although by taking a different tack. I think that what makes the sport a joke is people like Contador who re-enter professional cycling as if he didn't do anything wrong, when we all know he did cheat. The most disappointing thing though, is that cycling is so tarnished by the systematic cheating that has defined it in recent history. Is cycling a lost cause? Hopefully, not.
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
"There is no doubt that culturally, countries like Australia and Britain fundamentally deplore cheating in sport but is this true of all countries or is this a cultural myth? " Unfortunately I cant read other languages, but it certainly appears from reading cycling froums that are from English speaking nations that the home country is always innocent. Australia has long excused our athletes from cheating by saying they had a cold and took a cold tablet or diet tablet. Samantha Rielly never swam as good as she did when she had taken an accidental cold tablet, Ben Tune was also on cold tablets and who can forget Warnies mum giving him a diet tablet. To the rest of the world these were all acts of cheating, but we defended them as they were Aussies.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Although i understand what you're saying Kate, i still think it's a bit easy to say 'sorry guys, true I have cheated. promise i wont do it again. let's move on'. Tbh, i dont have much more respect for Millar than for others who keep denying despite being found guilty. How many chances should we give them? There is no doubt in my mind cycling is the toughest sport of all. However, cyclists and managers, sponsors etc have disrespected it and the public for decades. Its sad but every performance has now the 'was he clean' question attached to it.
Jack
Guest
The sport of proffesional cycling is an absolute JOKE. It isn't as if there were just a couple of bad eggs bringing the sport's reputation into question. Almost an entire generation of riders have pretty much taken the sport to the cleaners. They are an embarrasment to all athletes. The fact that these guys serve an all expenses paid holiday to recuperate before being allowed to compete again just reaffirms my opinion that the whole sport is a joke.