…for now…this hot off the wire
Surprised… not!
Wow, who’d have thought the Spaniards would look after their own?
I know we all have our views on this, but mine is that it’s fucked and if the rest of the peloton don’t conspire to make sure he struggles in the tour it maybe another wasted few weeks in July.
this sport is a joke
He’s guilty!
He’s maybe guilty!
He’s innocent!
This sport is indeed a joke.
Maybe at this years tour they could discretely cut the power overnight in a few of the hotels, but turn it back on in the morning, flush them all out Ricardo Riccò style.
^this made me lol
Meh, enough whinging. If everyone was clean, i would have to focus on the race itself, then where would i be?
The UCI will still go ahead with charging him, they have too much to lose by not pursuing it.
Maybe at this years tour they could discretely cut the power overnight in a few of the hotels, but turn it back on in the morning, flush them all out Ricardo Riccò style.
I really like this idea.
Foffing off over podium girls?
media reaction to the news
Media Reactions To Contador’s Clearing On Doping Charges | Cyclingnews.com
the UCI has no actual say in the matter IIRC, its up to the national federations to decide on the penalty as he is member of the spanish federation not the UCI. if there is an issue you can appeal to the CAS but why would you appeal not being suspended.
the UCI can influence a sentence or set guidelines but again its up to the country… either way the influence of the UCI is waning right now.
Best one
Daniel Schmalz www.nyvelocity.com
As someone who satirizes professional cycling, I appreciate the unusual and the bizarre. Vanishing twins, blood bags labelled according to pet names, Mark Cavendish talking — these are the things that make my job easy. But professional cycling is entering into a realm where the truth is becoming stranger than anything I can conjure.
It appears that Alberto Contador will be cleared of charges stemming from his positive test for clenbuterol. Contador has claimed that the positive test resulted from eating tainted beef, yet wasn’t able to produced any “mystery meat” that would’ve exonerated him.
But this dubious explanation, the absence of a ratified plasticizers test and a missing piece of mail from the UCI seem to be enough for Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC), who have overturned their decision to ban Contador for a year (a ban that was actually one year less then it should’ve been in the first place). Perhaps they’re also responding to pressure from the Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero who tweeted (yes, tweeted—like Ashton Kutcher or the S#*! my Dad Says Guy) “there are no legal grounds for sanctioning Contador”.
So we have the Spanish Prime Minister tweeting in the defence of a racer using a dubious tainted meat defence and an RFEC mailing mishap to get his already shortened sentence reduced to nothing. Bravo, Spain, you’ve come up with a scenario so implausible that I couldn’t have imagined it in my wildest fantasies. PS, good luck with the CAS.
Best one
Daniel Schmalz www.nyvelocity.com
As someone who satirizes professional cycling, I appreciate the unusual and the bizarre. Vanishing twins, blood bags labelled according to pet names, Mark Cavendish talking — these are the things that make my job easy. But professional cycling is entering into a realm where the truth is becoming stranger than anything I can conjure.
It appears that Alberto Contador will be cleared of charges stemming from his positive test for clenbuterol. Contador has claimed that the positive test resulted from eating tainted beef, yet wasn’t able to produced any “mystery meat” that would’ve exonerated him.
But this dubious explanation, the absence of a ratified plasticizers test and a missing piece of mail from the UCI seem to be enough for Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC), who have overturned their decision to ban Contador for a year (a ban that was actually one year less then it should’ve been in the first place). Perhaps they’re also responding to pressure from the Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero who tweeted (yes, tweeted—like Ashton Kutcher or the S#*! my Dad Says Guy) “there are no legal grounds for sanctioning Contador”.
So we have the Spanish Prime Minister tweeting in the defence of a racer using a dubious tainted meat defence and an RFEC mailing mishap to get his already shortened sentence reduced to nothing. Bravo, Spain, you’ve come up with a scenario so implausible that I couldn’t have imagined it in my wildest fantasies. PS, good luck with the CAS.
^ I don’t get how much people have been winging that he couldn’t produce a sample… how would that be possible? Producing some steak that he pocketed after he ate some half a year ago? All that would happen would be that people would think it was fake anyway.
He had to show that he had No Fault or Negligence, and establish how the Clenbuterol entered his system (although I am not saying that he actually did this). This doesn’t necessarily mean he had to produce some 6 mth old meat. Although I am very sceptical, I am not surprised.
Interestingly, a german table tennis player got off on the same way.
The UCI and WADA both have a say in that they can appeal to the CAS. While the whole process is a bit of a kangaroo court is still a chance that he won’t be racing come July.
Also interesting article on clenbuterol (from same lab that ran Contador’s sample) - German lab warns of inadvertent clenbuterol doping - - SI.com
Mr Valverde will be looking on with interest
After much reading on the excellent inrng.com i agree that UCI and WADA can appeal to the CAS (althought inital decision is made by the national federation). In fact I’d be surprised if they dont just to make sure that they dont open any avenues for complaint.
i’d like to say this will all get exciting, but unfortunately it will takes months and be buried in the usual bureaucratic paperwork.
I’m going to be at the Tour in July - I’m thinking of packing some steaks in the backpack to lob at him as he rides past if he gets the go ahead to race…