Dirty stinkin’ rats? Guilty until proven innocent?

Here’s a TV debate on the latest Tour de France debacle. This debate was shown on the France24 English-language news channel, Thursday 26th July.

Andrea Sanke, France24
Andreas Evagora, deputy head of news, Eurosport, Paris
Philip Turle, journalist, Radio France 1
Carlton Reid, editor, BikeBiz.com& Quickrelease.tv
Danny Nelissen, former Tour de France rider, Team Rabobank, now Eurosport’s Benelux commentator

This video can be placed on iPods via iTunes , or as a direct .m4v download here.

189 riders started the race. A tiny - but prominent – few have had (leaked) Adverse Analytical Findings. One has admitted guilt, Moreni. Moron.

More may be doping, but have evaded tests.

None of this is good but I’m with UCI boss Pat McQuaid and the IOC* on this one: cycling is doing more than any other sport to cleanse itself of the cheaters but, de facto, that means there will be drugs busts. Going forward? You’d be mad to dope.

However, despite the fact there are clearly dopers in cycling it’s simply unfair to tar all with the same brush or to assume all the currently accused riders are guilty.

Now, they may be guilty as hell but what has happened to innocent until proven guilty? Heaven help him if Bradley Wiggins is ever (wrongly) accused of doping at some point in his career. He’s famously anti-drugs and has stated his unbending views on those he believes are cheaters, including . However, in the current climate anybody can be accused of doping and it’s instant trial by media.

Labs can also make mistakes. They often do. ‘A’ tests in other sports tend not to be leaked and mistakes are withdrawn by the anti-doping authorities long before the makes it into the public domain. In cycling, the merest sniff of controversy and you’re guilty, no chance of rescuing your reputation.

Fevered hacks, embedded on the Tour de France merry-go-round, are upset and wounded, I understand that, but whipping up the lynch mob does journalism no favours. Cycling is the loser, unfairly so.

* IOC perspective on recent revelations on the Tour de France

26 July 2007

The recent doping-related events at the Tour de France, whilst disturbing, indicate a painful, slow but nonetheless significant shift in attitude against those who choose to violate the rules in sporting competition. The revelations serve as a valuable reminder that the fight against doping in sport is a daily battle which must be fought in concert by the sports authorities, sports teams, athletes and coaches, and governments.

It is understandable that the incidents of the past days leave sports lovers feeling deceived. Despite this, it is important to recognise that an increase in exposure of those who are not playing by the rules – be that through increased testing or through other means of proving doping - is an important signal that increased efforts in the fight against doping do have an impact.