Doping

I think the point being made is that Cycling gets dragged through the wringer every time based upon

Pure speculation and unsubstantiated assumptions

and its slightly amusing/unfair/whatever how much other sports get away with it

So much more the reason not to engage in the debate. Let's by all means discuss doping in cycling and other sports for that matter, but not based on speculation.

Informed speculation is what leads investigators down certain paths, rather than using a scatter-gun approach.

Fair enough... My comment was mainly in relation to post #1774

Noooo.... http://m.cyclingnews.com/news/gilbert-denies-allegations-of-cortisone-use-at-lotto

Some more..
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/14150/Report-Gilbert-dismissive-of-cortisone-claims-against-him-relating-to-his-time-with-Lotto-team.aspx

Noooo.... http://m.cyclingnews.com/news/gilbert-denies-allegations-of-cortisone-use-at-lotto

The non-denial denial. If it was done under a TUE he can't deny it as it's recorded.

If cortisone is the only PED Gilbert was on at OPL I would be astounded.

The name's a bit of a giveaway--'Oh, megapharma, lotta'.

It beats me why nobody had noticed before.

Does this explain his dip in form at BMC too?

David Walsh Sunday Times article on being embedded with Sky tomorrow; Brailsford "considered resigning"* over Leinders appointment.

*then thought "fuck that"

Where he won the world championship last season? I suspect they have cortisone as well.

But maybe not TB 500.

The David Walsh thing is an utterly pointless PR exercise.

Professional cycling is an utterly pointless PR exercise.

.

Where he won the world championship last season? I suspect they have cortisone as well.

But maybe not TB 500.

i'm sure BMC could issue theraputic use exemptions like Omega, but different team ethos, different doctors... And he may have won the world championship but he had a very different season to his last at OPQL. Would be interesting to see how many TUE's BMC (or other teams) issued for the season by comparison, no?

Just too bad the UCI doesn't consider that information relevant.

The David Walsh thing is an utterly pointless PR exercise.

Through the looking glass; Paul Kimmage gets embedded with Sky as planned and is unnerved by something he sees or is told about and files a story. On what planet does he as a News international employee think a story impugning Sky would get published? Or as an ex employee does he think NI wouldn't use libel law to fuck him over?

He would have been as compromised as any other NI journalist on the story and why he pretends otherwise and moans about Walsh mystifies me.

Kimmage doing it would be just as pointless.

You do know Kimmage was made redundant over a year ago, don't you?

To me? Yes.

How does having a journalist spend a week with the team prove or disprove whether they are doping? That is what this was all about after all.

It doesn't have anything to do the News Corp connection. I just doubt they would leave the syringes lying round the week a journalist visits.

So Rio has withdrawn from the England squad after Fergie had this to say:

"I was as surprised as anyone when I heard," Ferguson said. "I need to speak to the [United] doctor because we prepare Rio Ferdinand in a certain way and there are certain treatments he has to go through.

"He has to make sure he is going to be OK in terms of the number of games he plays. We have been doing that for two years and it has worked. We have to look at all these things before Rio decides [if he joins up]."

"The procedures have been the same all season which has given him fantastic performance levels when he's playing for us," said Ferguson. "We have to consider that and Rio is considering that. And we'll see what the outcome of that is."

Dodgy as fuck to my ears. Sound like their Doctor has got him on the same 'procedures' as Ryan Giggs, procedures which may surprise the doctors at England.....

"I'm disappointed Rio will not be available, but due to the detailed medical programme he must follow it's not possible," said Hodgson.

As well!

Hardly surprising, former Danish cycling professional Rolf Sørensen admits to doping in the 1990s

I consider it sufficiently proven only Danish and Dutch teams, riders and doctors are guilty. No such thing in Spain, Belgium or Britain. Nope.

Evidently so... lol!

Danes must be putting pressure on these guys to fess up like this...

Too bad that the almighty EPO fuelled Riis with his comedy tour win of '96 is still sitting like a huge tit on top of it all.