2024 Pro thread

[maquisard]

But why is this a surprise? They pulled similar stunts to get Armstrong, giving lenient six month off season penalties to the Slipstream riders.

It is a highly political organisation which is about making a name for it's members taking down big name athletes. The intelligence is more important to them than objectively enforcing the WADA code.

Land of the free!

[spokenwords]

sounds like it wasnt anyone with a Pro contract. "Elite level" only. Not justifying it in any way but was relieved, in a way, that it wasnt a big name. Too bad it doesnt seem like anyone was caught via the mole system. Either noone was caught or they turned them all into moles.

[eins4eins]

sounds like it wasnt anyone with a Pro contract. "Elite level" only. Not justifying it in any way but was relieved, in a way, that it wasnt a big name. Too bad it doesnt seem like anyone was caught via the mole system. Either noone was caught or they turned them all into moles.

Do you know more than what is written by reuters or how do you come to these conclusions?

[tymon_tm]

sort of machiavellic scheme - don't care about actual law, rules or morale, only focus on busting a high profile individual. its a "poster justice" like in authoritarian states. absolutely appalling and begging for reaction from international sports gov bodies - because it seems we can't trust any US athlete to be clean anymore..

[Mr.Gib]

so when you design several laps in a crowded downtown after few hours of racing, wouldn't it be smart and just humane to put a toilet for riders, for instance somewhere in the feed zone area?

https://x.com/ciclismoliquido/status/18 ... w-wideo%2F

That's my new goal in life - to have a massive crowd give me a standing ovation for taking a piss.

From what I understand he needed to do something more substantial than a piss...

He did look rather pleased with himself afterward. I have clearly set my goals too low.

[LeDuke]

sort of machiavellic scheme - don't care about actual law, rules or morale, only focus on busting a high profile individual. its a "poster justice" like in authoritarian states. absolutely appalling and begging for reaction from international sports gov bodies - because it seems we can't trust any US athlete to be clean anymore..

Or, the US cares more about bagging people involved in human and illicit drug trafficking schemes than punishing some Masters 45+ cyclocross racers.

[kbbpll]

This is pretty huge. USADA corrupt to the core on doping
Pretty rich considering how much shit the Chinese athletes have been getting at being accused of doping
They better be looking at US athletes and they really need to right some of these coverups.
https://www.wada-ama.org/en/news/wada-s ... oping-code

That's fits Travis Tygart's style I guess. From the Reuters article it seems like it was three runners, one "higher profile", but who and what other sports are we not hearing about? I really don't think it's the role of USADA to be the FBI or CIA managing and rewarding snitches and undercover agents. If you catch somebody doping, bust them. Isn't that disincentive enough?

[LeDuke]

This is pretty huge. USADA corrupt to the core on doping
Pretty rich considering how much shit the Chinese athletes have been getting at being accused of doping
They better be looking at US athletes and they really need to right some of these coverups.
https://www.wada-ama.org/en/news/wada-s ... oping-code

That's fits Travis Tygart's style I guess. From the Reuters article it seems like it was three runners, one "higher profile", but who and what other sports are we not hearing about? I really don't think it's the role of USADA to be the FBI or CIA managing and rewarding snitches and undercover agents. If you catch somebody doping, bust them. Isn't that disincentive enough?

Pretty sure the Reuters article indicates that USADA was acting in concert with federal law enforcement agencies.

"The U.S. agency has defended letting drug rule violators compete so they could act as undercover informants, saying in one case such assistance had provided intelligence to a U.S. federal law enforcement investigation into a human and drug trafficking scheme."

[spud]

When Andrea Piccolo got popped in the spring, it wasn't because of an adverse test. It was because someone informed customs that he was transporting the drugs. Which lends credence to the notion that enforcement is often down to intel rather than a test result. I don't know anything about the referenced athletes above, but I do care about the pushers getting popped.

[EtoDemerzel]

This is pretty huge. USADA corrupt to the core on doping
Pretty rich considering how much shit the Chinese athletes have been getting at being accused of doping
They better be looking at US athletes and they really need to right some of these coverups.
https://www.wada-ama.org/en/news/wada-s ... oping-code

That's fits Travis Tygart's style I guess. From the Reuters article it seems like it was three runners, one "higher profile", but who and what other sports are we not hearing about? I really don't think it's the role of USADA to be the FBI or CIA managing and rewarding snitches and undercover agents. If you catch somebody doping, bust them. Isn't that disincentive enough?

USADA responded but this seems to be a political football WADA and USADA have been kicking back and forth. A lot of criticisim and i'm sure the timing with the Olympics is no coincidence.

I can see the logic of flipping dopers and using them to out a bigger weasel. It worked with Lance, Balco, Papp, but I feel like they crack the small players by busting them and flipping them- not letting them continue to compete.
The idea you let an elite athlete compete and retire while having proof of doping-and keep it totally quiet- is disturbing.
Amateurs are usually busted by hotline, since no one can afford testing.

I'm not sure how much more traction it will gain, or if this is just WADA and USADA kicking each other in the nuts.

[spud]

I'm not sure how much more traction it will gain, or if this is just WADA and USADA kicking each other in the nuts.
[/quote]

LOL

[Karvalo]

sort of machiavellic scheme - don't care about actual law, rules or morale, only focus on busting a high profile individual. its a "poster justice" like in authoritarian states. absolutely appalling and begging for reaction from international sports gov bodies - because it seems we can't trust any US athlete to be clean anymore..

Or, the US cares more about bagging people involved in human and illicit drug trafficking schemes than punishing some Masters 45+ cyclocross racers.

Errrr, what?

USADA is not a law enforcement agency. Drug trafficking and human trafficking is not remotely in their wheelhouse. They're drug testers, not mafia investigators.

Outside of Hollywood movieland, an athlete who gets popped for doping knows where they get their drugs from and who they share them with. They can offer that information in return for a legitimate reduction in their suspension as per USADA/WADA codes. If they're too self interested to take that deal then they clearly can't be trusted to deliver even if it was realistic to think they could transform themselves into some deep cover mole from The Departed.

[maquisard]

Errrr, what?

USADA is not a law enforcement agency. Drug trafficking and human trafficking is not remotely in their wheelhouse. They're drug testers, not mafia investigators.

Exactly this, USADA's job is to enforce the WADA code at a US National level. It isn't to enforce the bits it picks and chooses to it's own aims. When this happens it calls into question the entire point of WADA - that is to have a consistent anti-doping code across nations.

Until USADA changes this line USA athletes should not be allowed to compete internationally.

[spokenwords]

I thought USADA said WADA knew about it, and approved it.

VIsma didnt have much of anything today in San Sabastian with Jonas and Sepp getting dropped early. I dont who was working for who though so maybe only one of them had a bad day. Alaphilippe looked in great form but man i forgot how chaotic he can be on the bike. I think he looked behind him in last 3k as much as he did in front of him.

[maquisard]

I thought USADA said WADA knew about it, and approved it.

USADA might have said that, WADA responded.

"Contrary to the claims made by USADA, WADA did not sign off on this practice of permitting drug cheats to compete for years on the promise that they would try to obtain incriminating evidence against others."