Boonen tested positive on cocaine

[fast700c]

99% of drivers have probably exceeded the speed limit at one time or another, 99% of the population don't take drugs.



It's the last bit, after the coma!!!
Dude!!!...where the hell do you live???
Interested that the graph shows Coke is the most expensive here in NZ (I'm not unhappy about that) ...but I work in a pretty conservative industry and I'm pretty sure atleast 25% of my conservative colleagues will happily share a doob during celebrations etc (not with me tho...personal choice to say no thanks now days). In young people, some form of drug taking would probably make the technical dfinition of normal. It certainly would in THIS country.

I'm in Australia and just like everywhere else in the world drug taking is rife. However, drug taking is not the norm. Many (like our Tommy) may go through a period of experimentation (oh that's right, he was set up) but still only relativly small amounts of the population regularly take drugs.

On a subject like this people often base their thoughts on their own experiences. Smoke a spliff here, drop an E there, have a few lines. We all did some crazy things when young. However when you've seen or been involved with the dark side of drugs you quickly change your view. It's definately not some harmless, victimless fun.

There are many professions in this Country where mandatory drug testing occurs and if you are found to be positive you loose your job. You know that when you start work so there's no point complaining if it happens.
Obviously under his contract he's not going to loose his job and that's fine by me. I will confess to being dissapointed but we all make mistakes.

What the Tour chooses to do with their race is up to them.

Any way this is weight weenies not moral weenies, so I'll leave the moral arguments there.

I hope he wins Roubaix next year, he's a fantastic cyclist.

[CaptainWilier]

You don't have to get caught IN competion to have doped. Most,if not all, do it out of competion in order to NOT get caught.

But cocaine used out of competition isn't doping last time I checked. Even in stricter WADA rules cocaine isn't doping when used out of competition.
So this is simply a discussion, should a rider be suspended if he did something illegal? Should a rider be suspended if he was a shoplifter, a rapist, a animalf**ker or anything else? You can argue on and on about this.

ok, so it is a question of image. People are hired and fired for it everyday.

[drjones96]

If I went out and got busted for possession off the clock. I'd probably get fired after my employer found out about it.

[Dennis]

ok, so it is a question of image. People are hired and fired for it everyday.

True. Do you realy think Quickstep ever ditch there most imporant rider for some image raesons?

[xnavalav8r]

I don't condone drug use at all. But who cares?! How can the UCI (or any non-civil authority) punish a guy for recreational drug use? They've got monuments to Tom Simpson and Marco Pantani on the slopes of some of cycling's greatest climbs and both of those knuckleheads died of drug use... Simpson while in competition! When they tear down those monuments, then cycling can become the morality police. But if a guy wants to snort a line of blow on his own time, that's for him and the police to sort out. Pretty soon the UCI and race promoters are going to start barring riders accused of spousal abuse or cruelty to animals. This is ridiculous...!!!!

[tymon_tm]

I don't condone drug use at all. But who cares?! How can the UCI (or any non-civil authority) punish a guy for recreational drug use? They've got monuments to Tom Simpson and Marco Pantani on the slopes of some of cycling's greatest climbs and both of those knuckleheads died of drug use... Simpson while in competition! When they tear down those monuments, then cycling can become the morality police. But if a guy wants to snort a line of blow on his own time, that's for him and the police to sort out. Pretty soon the UCI and race promoters are going to start barring riders accused of spousal abuse or cruelty to animals. This is ridiculous...!!!!

it's not even half correct. in many cases employers do care about their workers' actions - whether it's due to their ethics code or legal requirements (e.g. financial branch)

the fact of being under inquiry alone may give a basis for suspension; my friend has experienced it not so long ago when he'd caused an accident driving company's car during weekend..

besides you have to tell between actions that are done unintentionally and the deliberate ones; also between infringement and crime - it's not that every action against law carries the same weight (i thought they teach it somewhere near primary school, but maybe i'm wrong )

[DocRay]

This proves the point: it's still ok to dope in the UCI Pro Peloton, and the hard message to young riders is: dope and get a good doctor to cover it up if you want a pro career.

Did I miss something? I think Boonen never accused of using a substance during competition to improve his performance. So he didn't dope.

Yes, you didn't read my whole post. Doping during training is still cheating.

[DocRay]

Edit:
Oh yea, 99%....are you living amongst a colony of monks in Tibet somewhere?

Yes, the trillion dollar drug industry is all from three guys.

This is the problem with drugs and morality, even the US president was an ex (?) coke head, and Guvunoor Auhnuld never took PEDs .

[Frankie - B]

ehm shall we lock this one now?

[xnavalav8r]

I don't condone drug use at all. But who cares?! How can the UCI (or any non-civil authority) punish a guy for recreational drug use? They've got monuments to Tom Simpson and Marco Pantani on the slopes of some of cycling's greatest climbs and both of those knuckleheads died of drug use... Simpson while in competition! When they tear down those monuments, then cycling can become the morality police. But if a guy wants to snort a line of blow on his own time, that's for him and the police to sort out. Pretty soon the UCI and race promoters are going to start barring riders accused of spousal abuse or cruelty to animals. This is ridiculous...!!!!

it's not even half correct. in many cases employers do care about their workers' actions - whether it's due to their ethics code or legal requirements (e.g. financial branch)

the fact of being under inquiry alone may give a basis for suspension; my friend has experienced it not so long ago when he'd caused an accident driving company's car during weekend..

besides you have to tell between actions that are done unintentionally and the deliberate ones; also between infringement and crime - it's not that every action against law carries the same weight (i thought they teach it somewhere near primary school, but maybe i'm wrong )

I'm in the military. We have a zero-tolerance policy and routine (random) drug testing procedures in place. We test for everything from cocaine to steroids. There are no explanations or second chances. If you test positive for drugs, you are separated from the military and lose all future benefits. Technically, someone kicked out of our military for drug use can't even get a job with a company that holds a military contract (not even McDonald's). So the penalty for drug use is very severe. But my point is that the UCI doesn't have any authority (as far as I know) to impose sanctions or penalties on a racer for use of a recreational drug. Nor do any race promoters. Unless ever racer signs some sort of a moral contract stating they won't do anything naughty, how can the UCI or a promotor bar a racer for a civil offense?

[Gregorio]

If the riders, Boonen in this case, are voluntarily part of the uci then why cant the uci impose a penalty.
Nobody ever said he had to be a pro bike racer. He chose this profession and I believe should conduct himself in a proper manner.
If the rider does not like it then let them find another job.

Your other comment about how they will start barring riders accused of spousal abuse or cruelty to animals is disturbing as well.
Accused maybe not, convicted possibly. Ever heard of Mike Vick. Sad thing is he will probably get yet another chance in the NFL, but that is Off Topic

[xnavalav8r]

If the riders, Boonen in this case, are voluntarily part of the uci then why cant the uci impose a penalty.
Nobody ever said he had to be a pro bike racer. He chose this profession and I believe should conduct himself in a proper manner.
If the rider does not like it then let them find another job.

Your other comment about how they will start barring riders accused of spousal abuse or cruelty to animals is disturbing as well.
Accused maybe not, convicted possibly. Ever heard of Mike Vick. Sad thing is he will probably get yet another chance in the NFL, but that is Off Topic

But that is my point. The UCI is acting on accusations now. Boonen hasn't been convicted of committing a crime. In this particular case he admitted to using cocaine. So he's stupid. But what about Kyle Leogrande who was accused based on the "revelations" of a former trainer and summarily barred from racing. There was no evidence provided. Just heresay. That was the point I'm trying to make.

I believe any public figure (including pro athletes) who earn millions of dollars participating in a sport (not just cyclists) and who may be looked up to as role models by my child (including the infamous Mr Vick) should be held to a higher standard. But the right to due process has to exist. Everyone should be presumed innocent until PROVEN guilty... unless they admit to being guilty.

Again, I point to military service as an example. In the US, we have an all-volunteer force. No one is impressed into service. The military is, therefore, a reflection of American society and it's members are subject to the same vices as the rest of the American public. Yet military members are held to a higher standard than the general population. If I participated in an organized criminal activity (like dog fighting) I would be tried by a court martial. If convicted I would be dishonosrably discharged and forfeit all rights, priveleges, and benefits earned over 18 years of service. I know that and accept it. So I don't participate in illegal activities.

I think it's a travesty that any public figure should be able to commit a felony and get away with what amounts to a slap on the wrist. But there are plenty of convicted felons (in America anyway) who are millionaires and celebrities. I won't get into what that says about American society because, as twisted and imperfect as it may sometimes be, I think we have the best society out there.

[Gregorio]

Last week, Tom Boonen apologized to his family, fans and Quick Step team after it was learned he was positive for cocaine in an out-of-competition drug test. Now he's saying that the statement he read was written by a lawyer and he's actually innocent, the victim of a trick by someone slipping the drug into his drink at a bar

Sad, essentially he admits guilt with his apology, then his story changed slightly.
I cant believe any lawyer would ever give that advice.

[Rodrego Hernandez]

In the UK there is still a big fuss about premier league footballers having to give their whereabouts as it is an infringement on their privacy. There is no way in a million years that if they were tested and were not positive for anything banned out of competition it would make the papers.

I think we're losing sight of the fact that a test result was publicised that is harming our sport and Boonens career without it being a positive test.

[djconnel]

I'm in the military. We have a zero-tolerance policy and routine (random) drug testing procedures in place.

The military also requires buzz cuts and bans homosexual acts.