Are the cycling authorities doing enough to tackle the doping problem?

penfold83

The answer, when compared to the National Basketball Association in the USA, is an emphatic 'yes'.

A basketballer from Orlando Magic named Rashard Lewis was found to have elevated levels of testosterone and was therefore suspended for failing a drugs test.

His punishment is that he is now banned for the first 10 games of the NBA season. All 10 of these games lie between October 28th and 13th November of this year. This is a little over 2 weeks.

If a cyclist was caught with the same values following a drugs test he would be banned for 2 years.

A 2 week ban is a pathetic attempt at disciplining cheaters and with a punishment so pitiful perhaps it may encourage more basketballers to consider taking performance enhancing drugs.

The NBA could take a leaf out of cycling's book and ban the cheaters for an amount of time that is a genuine deterrent to the temptation of taking drugs rather than an encouragement.

ednwireland

i dont think american sport is a good example, i think drug use is probably endemic at the top levels of any sport. i think cycling does more than a lot and not as much as some sports.
doping has a very long history in cycling so has been under the carpet for much longer than many sports.
i wont tell you what i used to see amatuer rugby union players using in the 80's in the gym i used to go to.
and dont even start searching dfor doping forums if you want see what some amatuers are taking

tunney

What doping in cycling? Cycling is clean. Especially LA and AC.

petethedrummer

I'm with Tunney, there has only been 1 doping positive (and its only the A sample!) at this year's tour. So it speaks for itself. I'm sorry for anyone who doesn't believe this time round.

kenmc

Spot on - twas only the A sample, he says he didn't do it and the team say the same sure. Definitely a false positive in the testing - the tester must've had swine flu or something.

petethedrummer

Maybe we should all just give up watching pro-sports and go outside.

Raam

ednwireland wrote: »

i wont tell you what i used to see amatuer rugby union players using in the 80's in the gym i used to go to.

Ah go on, tell us...

ROK ON

Raam wrote: »

Ah go on, tell us...

Sounds saucy.

BTW, did anyone read that ape Franno in the Tribune at the w/e. Amazingly, some of the rugby players he played with actually took recreational drugs. Can you believe that, I mean in a cross section of men aged between 25 and 35, that some of them actually took drugs.

I for one find this hard to credit.:rolleyes:

tunney

ROK ON wrote: »

Sounds saucy.

BTW, did anyone read that ape Franno in the Tribune at the w/e. Amazingly, some of the rugby players he played with actually took recreational drugs. Can you believe that, I mean in a cross section of men aged between 25 and 35, that some of them actually took drugs.

I for one find this hard to credit.:rolleyes:

you're lying. no one takes drugs. its all a myth.

blorg

tunney wrote: »

you're lying. no one takes drugs. its all a myth.

There is more of a culture of recreational drug use in team sports like rugby or football... The idea of Astana going out on the lash the night before the Ventoux stage would be unlikely to say the least (Armstrong like a good domestique waited until the night before stage 21 to go out on the piss.)

ednwireland

Raam wrote: »

Ah go on, tell us...

steriods mainly in those days (injecting each other in the changing rooms .. nice) no drug testing cos it was amatuer !

Jawgap

ROK ON wrote: »

Sounds saucy.

BTW, did anyone read that ape Franno in the Tribune at the w/e. Amazingly, some of the rugby players he played with actually took recreational drugs. Can you believe that, I mean in a cross section of men aged between 25 and 35, that some of them actually took drugs.

I for one find this hard to credit.:rolleyes:

I think Franno is acting the maggot (again!), tbh. I'm sure some players took stuff, but he was alleging that some of players were shooting up heroin!!! I think someone was pulling his plonker or he's just anxious to sell papers during the off season.

Anyway, back when we were crap at rugby some players tested positive for performance enhancing drugs- the joke being at the time we were so crap they should get their money back on whatever it was they were taking.

At least cycling - for all it's faults - seems to be making a better effort than cricket and football.