Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Boonen banned from 2009 Tour

  • 18-06-2009 11:36pm
    #1
    sy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,653 ✭✭✭


    Well no Tom again this year.
    In these circumstances and in order to preserve his reputation, his image and those of the Tour de France, the ASO group has decided not to accept the presence of Tom Boonen in its event.
    The hypocrisy of these guys. To preserve the "reputation" and "image" of the Tour. LOL. I know Boonen was A Gob***te to be caught twice and I agree he has an image as a top professional for which he has a responsibility etc but this is a bit much.


Comments

  • #2
    DirkVoodoo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,505 ✭✭✭✭DirkVoodoo


    Feel sorry for him, was looking forward to seeing him in the Tour. Do you think Quick Step will give him the boot now?


  • #3
    sy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,653 ✭✭✭sy


    DirkVoodoo wrote: »
    Do you think Quick Step will give him the boot now?
    Don't think so. Who would they replace him with? DeVolder is good and Chavanel is good backup, but Quick Step base their season around the Classics so they need to hold onto Boonen. The Tour is their second major target and obviously the Green jersey but bet they are pretty ****ed off with him!


  • #4
    Diarmuid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    According to their DS each stage win for Boonen is worth €500k to Quick Step. Ouch!


  • #5
    amjon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 174 ✭✭amjon


    sy wrote: »
    Well no Tom again this year.
    The hypocrisy of these guys. To preserve the "reputation" and "image" of the Tour. LOL. I know Boonen was A Gob***te to be caught twice and I agree he has an image as a top professional for which he has a responsibility etc but this is a bit much.

    Its the right decision, in fact he should be given a year off to clear his act up. Quickstep cannot be seen to condoning or even sweeping his filthy habit under the carpet. This guy is a superstar on the continent, his influence on the youth cannot be underestimated. I doubt Ronaldo or Tevez would have been allowed to play for United in the champions league final if they were busted for coke a few weeks prior, let alone busted for the second time.


  • #6
    stevie_b
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 279 ✭✭stevie_b


    a shame..... i like boonen. very stupid to get caught again though. quickstep are none too pleased alright, especially after the lengths they went to defend him last time


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Caroline_ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,400 ✭✭✭Caroline_ie


    Meh ...


  • #8
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,220 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    the image and the behaviour of Tom Boonen are incompatible with the image of the Tour de France

    Does not compute.

    In related news, this is quite funny.


  • #9
    short circuit
    Closed Accounts Posts: 730 ✭✭✭short circuit


    I don't agree with this decision ... as long as the drugs are not performance enhancing, the TDF authorities have no ground to ban him from racing ...

    If there are certain past US presidents who have taken drugs, Italian prime ministers who go around with underage girls .... Boonen is after all only a sportsman. What he does in his own time is his own business?

    I believe QuickStep can appeal .. I hope they do and get TDF to back off ...


  • #10
    Diarmuid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    I'd like to see him, if only to see Cavendish beat him in the sprints.


  • #11
    sy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,653 ✭✭✭sy


    amjon wrote: »
    Its the right decision, in fact he should be given a year off to clear his act up. Quickstep cannot be seen to condoning or even sweeping his filthy habit under the carpet. This guy is a superstar on the continent, his influence on the youth cannot be underestimated. I doubt Ronaldo or Tevez would have been allowed to play for United in the champions league final if they were busted for coke a few weeks prior, let alone busted for the second time.
    I agree totally, my point was more in relation to tarnishing the clean image of the Tour!

    €500.000 ! Ouch


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    amjon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 174 ✭✭amjon


    short circuit wrote: »
    I don't agree with this decision ... as long as the drugs are not performance enhancing, the TDF authorities have no ground to ban him from racing ...

    Yes they do, he broke the law and damaged the image of the psort not once but twice. If I got caught taking cocaine I would lose my job so why shouldn't he?


  • #13
    lukester
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,901 ✭✭✭lukester


    Sigh, we've been over this all before.

    Tom likes to party party, and got caught for a minor indiscretion. I think it's stupid that there's so much hysteria about this, and a bit pathetic that ASO are being so hypocritical.


  • #14
    penexpers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    lukester wrote: »
    and a bit pathetic that ASO are being so hypocritical.

    How are ASO being hypocritical?


  • #15
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,220 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    amjon wrote: »
    Yes they do, he broke the law and damaged the image of the psort not once but twice. If I got caught taking cocaine I would lose my job so why shouldn't he?

    Lance damages the image of the sport by wearing black socks.

    And what have your contract conditions got to do with Boonen?


  • #16
    lukester
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,901 ✭✭✭lukester


    penexpers wrote: »
    How are ASO being hypocritical?

    In these circumstances and in order to preserve his reputation, his image and those of the Tour de France, the ASO group has decided not to accept the presence of Tom Boonen in its event.

    They have no qualms about letting certain individuals into the tour, regardless of reputation or image.


  • #17
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,669 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    sy wrote: »
    Well no Tom again this year.
    The hypocrisy of these guys. To preserve the "reputation" and "image" of the Tour. LOL. I know Boonen was A Gob***te to be caught twice and I agree he has an image as a top professional for which he has a responsibility etc but this is a bit much.
    +1
    Reputation my arse
    Every year Virenque is welcomed with open arms as part of the eurosport team despite the fact the he only admitted EPO use when threatened with jail !!
    Hinault is on the podium even though he practically admitted taking testosterone (to bolster the "natural" deficiencies as a result of training)


  • #18
    penexpers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    lukester wrote: »
    In these circumstances and in order to preserve his reputation, his image and those of the Tour de France, the ASO group has decided not to accept the presence of Tom Boonen in its event.

    They have no qualms about letting certain individuals into the tour, regardless of reputation or image.

    Who are you referring to here? If it's LA, then he's never had a positive test (for the record, I don't think that he is clean, but until he is caught there's nothing that can be done, I don't think). The difference here is that Boonen has been caught, twice, and even though it's not performance enhancing, at a time when cycling is trying hard to rid itself the drug image, any indescrepincy (sp?) has to be dealt with.

    From my (limited) reading ASO have been hard on riders that have tested positive.

    I'm sure that the ASO would love to ban LA from the tour, but until he is caught, they really have no grounds to.


Advertisement