Once again, thousands of words and pixels have been devoted to Lance Armstrong and USADA’s dossier of systematic doping during his career.
This is not a simple scenario of stripping a disgraced athlete of his victories, as has been demonstrated on this website alone through the passionate debates of writers and fans.
As always, Armstrong polarises cycling fans with his refusal to acknowledge wrong doing in the face of what appears to be overwhelming evidence.
The issues run much deeper than just banning those who were involved in doping. Just how much involvement in this scandal did the UCI have?
To what extent are the UCI to blame for this culture of systematic doping? Who and how should those implicated be punished? Can there ever be reconciliation and rehabilitation for those involved in this (and other) doping scandals?
The UCI and doping
The UCI has let the sport down through their poor leadership during the era in question and also in how they have responded to USADAs investigation into Armstrong.
There is no doubt that they are in a precarious predicament: fingers are not just being pointed at Armstrong and US Postal, but they are invariably being pointed at the body who should have administered a cleaner sport.
If Armstrong’s doping ring was so sophisticated it is plausible that the UCI had no knowledge of his actions but as we become an increasingly sceptical audience, the UCI’s defensive actions suggest that there are those who are more interested in covering their own hides than a genuine commitment to cleaning the sport up.
That certainly is the viewpoint of many of the sports commentators and fans.
To be honest, I doubt that the UCI were actively involved in Armstrong’s doping actions but I do suspect that many turned a blind eye to their suspicions.
The Armstrong era gave the sport a profile outside of Europe that it had never had. Armstrong was winning, more people were following the sport, advertising revenue was up, cycling administrators and teams were making money and raising their profiles and building their careers.
It is easy to see how those in the know could justify their silence but to continue down this path of the blame game is of no use to anyone, inside or outside the sport.
What is needed is stronger leadership from the UCI and with the right people at the helm something positive can come of this whole messy affair.
What has been clear in recent times from the UCI leadership is a lack of understanding of the issues.
Pat McQuaid, speaking from the Tour of Beijing, seemingly shrugged his shoulders of the UCI’s responsibilities by telling journalists that the UCI drug tests riders and there is nothing more that he can do. This is where McQuaid is so out of touch.
Yes, drug testing is an important aspect of fighting drug cheats but we all know that Armstrong has never ‘failed’ a drug test and drug testing is not enough.
What the UCI need to do is create a culture of strong leadership and with this they need to help develop a culture of a drug free sport, not just in words but also in actions.
The decision by Pat McQuaid and Hein Verbruggen to sue Paul Kimmage for defamation demonstrates how out of touch they are with their fans and with those in the cycling community. What is clear, even if we have different ways of going about it, is that riders, managers, sponsors and fans, want to see a cleaner sport.
Change does not always have to come from the top down but it is perhaps time to see a regime change at the UCI, if for nothing else, than to demonstrate to the world a commitment to cleaning up the sport and to re-instill confidence in the organisation from teams, riders and fans.
What is encouraging about this tragic episode is that the change that is needed appears to be coming from the teams and riders who seemingly have a clearer understanding of what the sport needs and what the fans want. This is now where, we turn our attention to just what should happen to those who were involved in the sports dark days.
Reconciliation and Rehabilitation
Now is the time for the sport of professional cycling to heal itself and there is no doubt in my mind that that is the will of those (including fans) involved in the sport.
Should Matt White be thrown out of his job with Orica-GREENEDGE and Cycling Australia? No.
Should Jonathan Vaughters be thrown out of his position with Garmin-Sharp? No. Should riders like Chrisitan Vande Velde, Levi Leipheimer, David Zabriske and any other implicated rider still in the professional peloton, be thrown out? No.
Why? Because these are the people who are going to drive the sport into a new era of an anti-doping culture.
Yes, they have all cheated their sport, their fans, their families and themselves. If you read the statements they released in the last few days, there is one common thread and that is the desire to ‘give back’ to the sport by mentoring young riders to not just refuse to cheat, but to not have to be in an environment where cheating is the norm.
I know that this may outrage a few readers but there is also the argument that they too are victims. No-one is suggesting that they shouldn’t be punished and I know that many of you have argued that they have not been punished harshly enough, but what we need these riders to do is to give back to the sport that they cheated but that they were also cheated by.
Changing the leadership of the UCI is one way of moving the sport forward but cultural change has to be genuine and it has to be the will of the riders.
I think the peloton, on the whole, wants to be clean and there is no better way for this to happen than having those who have survived the dark days and teach the young and impressionable riders that clean racing is the best racing.
Am I naive? Possibly. Am I an optimist? Yes. The blame game benefits nobody and we can look to people like David Millar who has rebuilt his reputation after a two year ban for cheating to see that this cultural change is possible.
There is, however, no place in cycling for the likes of Johan Bruyneel and those who perpetrated the doping rings of the past.
RadioShackNissan would have been foolish to continue with him and although the press release announcing their parting of company reads amicably, it came as no surprise.
Should he be jailed as suggested by some? I don’t know, but I do believe that Bruyneel is a dinosaur.
He represents an era that is not just in the past, but an era that the peloton is racing away from quicker than any Mark Cavendish sprint for the winning line.
What we have witnessed over the last few months is a catalyst for change in professional cycling. Let’s hope this is the beginning for happier days to come.
SMQ
Guest
Vaughters should not be gone? How???? So righteous is the newly converted. I like all these American riders, but none of them would have come forward had they not been forced by USADA....... None of them. Do you really think Vaughters would have had a coming out party in Boulder? Give you head a shake people. Fine, maybe not life ban, but what happened to the 2 year ban? 6 months??? Hilarious. Half of the Garmkn clean team has a past now. What a joke. And Millar should just shut up. Sure he is an advocate now but shut up man. He only stopped because he got caught. These guys are so righteous now. Long live Ryder Hesjedal....
Kate Smart
Expert
I think it's incredibly sad that we have to assume that all athletes are cheating. I do agree that the science needs to catch up with the cheats but I think we should always be striving for clean sport or else the cheats win. I remember watching the Olympics in the 80s and losing all interest in sport because all we saw were drug cheats from the now, former Eastern block of Europe. This sort of attitude turns people away from sport not just as viewers but also as participants. I think sittingbison makes an excellent point about truth and reconciliation and also about how allowing a sports governing body to be in charge of testing for drugs is fraught with danger. In many ways, this is why cycling is in this position.
Brendon
Guest
Remember the BALCO scandal in the early 2000's? Sprinting times dropped off. Kim Collins won the 2003 100m world champs in 10.07 - the same time Carl Lewis won 20 years beforehand in 1983. Only twice has the winner of the mens 100ms not broken 10 seconds. Going into that tournament Patrick Johnson had the fastest time in the world of around 9.93 I think. Very slow year in sprinting that year. Only a year later drug cheat Justin Gatlin won the 2004 100m at Athens in 9.85. 0.17 seconds is a massive time difference in 100m sprinting. You're fooling yourself if you think you can change the "culture" of drug cheating in sport. If athletes can take PEDs and get away with it they will. End of story. Its more than just changing "culture", its changing human behaviour. The author might think that the Whites,Vaughters and Veldes will lead cycling into a clean era. Maybe those individuals are reformed but the next generation will repeat the same mistakes and actions as the previous generation. History has taught us that. If people can profit from cheating they will. Sports administrators will turn a blind eye because hey, who wants to deal with all the hassles and consquences on cracking down on cheating? The only solution is just to assume that athletes will cheat and administrators will turn a blind eye. From there you can build systems and procedures that can stay level with the cheats. Its the only way.
hamleyn
Roar Guru
As always, sittingbison, your reasoned arguments hit the nail on the head. Truth and reconciliation commission will help resolve this issue, but I don't think the offer of no sanction will be incentive enough for the heavy hitters to come forward. I'm not sure what would be enough but they could just shrug their shoulders and keep to themselves. Maybe, if it is a limited timeframe of a year or something like that, then if there are any positives after that, hit them with a lifetime ban because they would have had their chance to come forward. I agree that the UCI needs a complete overhaul. McQuaid needs to be kicked out, someone needs to jam a sock in Verbruggen's mouth before he says something else laughable and they both need to be made an example of what is wrong with the sport of cycling. Both have been so complicit in the lying and cheating over the past 15 years that they should never be allowed to come near the sport again. As for the doping controls, I honestly can't understand why WADA doesn't do all the testing and sanctioning themselves anyway. Giving the power to sanction to the cyclist's national federation is such a blatant conflict of interest, its a joke.
Rhys
Guest
That's a fair point you make Kid. I only hope, as I'm sure everyone does, that it has the desired effect.
rene
Guest
They can work with young riders for the 2 year ban that they deserve. thats how you can pay back not by getting a slap on the wrist and showing younger riders that even if you cheat as long as you rat another cheater out you will be given a break.
sittingbison
Guest
Good article Kate, demonstrating the problems in getting out of this mess. A couple of points: The evidence seems to clearly suggest UCI did not merely turna a blind eye, but is complicit. It is reported the Hog knew when and where the vampires would swoop. Then there is compliance in the '99 TUE, sweeping the 2001 TdS EPO result under the carpet, not pursuing the 2005 EPO retesting '99 samples regime, refusing tosign WADA code until 2006 (immediately after LA retired), not handing over the 2009 and 2010 bio passport results, destroying LAs blood samples...and remember this is all for ONE RIDER. All this and I've not even donned a tin foil hat and mentioned conspiracy theories like spiking LA's competitors Mayo and Hamilton in 2004. Then we have the Hog. And him being a dinosaur. The problem for me is that this argument is akin to "Lance is ancient history, why pursue him". Lance only retired from cycling LAST YEAR and was still competing in pro triathlon this year, and the scientific tests that sunk him were bloods from 2009 and 2010 - hardly ancient history. Likewise the Hog was STILL (until he was fired yesterday) the DS in charge the 2nd richest team Radioshack (incidentally part owned by Armstrong). With Cancellara and both Schlecks on board as well as Fuglsang. Two years ago it was another giant team Astana with Tour winning Contador, Kloden, Leipheimer, Vina and dare I say it Armstrong on the roster. This is hardly dinosaur, this is at the heart of the peleton. Finally we have the problem of busted dopers ( I refuse to say 'ex' doper), and what to do with them. Vaughters? White? What about Riis, who doped to the maillot jeune and runs as systamatic doping program as Bruyneel. He is at the heart of Peurto and Feuntes. Vaughters only formally admitted doping a month ago (although has never denied it). White only admitted it yesterday. What has White done to inspire confidence? After sending Lowe to del Moral? And being fired by the very same clean team Garmin and squeaky Vaughters? So yup, its a tangles web. Personally I believe in a truth and reconciliation commission run by WADA. Open slate, no sanctions. Any doping positives or revelations after that is a lifetime ban. The UCI must be folded, a new constitution written, and a new organisation started with none of the current administrators. And drug testing and sanctions must be removed from the administration of cycling. Completely in the hands of WADA.
kid
Guest
Rhys, Re: " think a better lesson to be passed on to younger (clean) riders in the peleton, is to see that if they do cheat (whether by personal initiative or as part of a wider system) that the penalty they’re risking is far greater than any possible benefits they might gain." To be honest the older riders have gotten away with it. Only by admission are we now seeing the truth, to punish these guys with large fines and bans simply prevents them from coming out and continues the culture of secrets and lies and the young riders will not see any punishment. I'm so proud of these riders who are tarnishing their own careers in order to save the next generation from succoming to the same pressures to risk their own health for a spot on a team.
Rhys
Guest
When the likes of Vande Velde, Leipheiner, and Zabriske have repaid all the prize money they earned whilst on the juice, and have sat out a suspension equivalent in time to the period during which they competed as cheats, then they should be allowed to freely compete again. Since all cheated for several years, and all are in the twilight of their dubious careers, effectively a lifetime ban should now be imposed by the UCI. The 'oh I was just doing what I was told to do' defense just isn't good enough, even if they have finally, after many years, admitted to their wrong doing. The question remains, had USADA not pushed ahead with their determination to have the truth be told, would any of these riders have had sufficient conscience to have voluntarily admitted their guilt? Since none had done so in the several years since the offences occurred, it is likely the answer is no. I think a better lesson to be passed on to younger (clean) riders in the peleton, is to see that if they do cheat (whether by personal initiative or as part of a wider system) that the penalty they're risking is far greater than any possible benefits they might gain.
Jimbo
Guest
I can see why Vaughters should stay in the sport, but White? He was fired for sending a rider to Luis Garcia del Moral...unless he has the naivety of a child, there is no excuse for that in light of that doctor's past actions. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].