Times Change: Cycling Insanity Remain

Alberto Contador wins the Vuelta a Murcia after the unexpected gift exoneration by the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC). Imagine anyone in cycling making money after testing positive for a performance enhancing drug during a Grand Tour! Jan Ullrich who was linked to Operation Puerto was chauffeured back to the hotel from the 2006 Tour de France depart over simple allegations of a connection with Operation Puerto, villianized in the press, declared public enemy number one, suspended, and forced to retire! Phew! What rubbish! The sanctimonious born again sainted Ivan Basso, was given a escort from the premises in the same caravan of shame! Why? Suspected links to Operation Puerto! Ivan Basso suspended for two years by the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI)! Yes, there was an iron determination across the world in the days of yore to eliminate the use and abuse of performance enhancing substances by the UCI and WADA.

Except in a single case: Alberto Contador.

Poor Floyd Landis, miracle worker on the bike, dropping the peloton like a hot potato on tough mountain stage 17, 2006 Tour de France, oh my, such things are impossible, no matter how many water bottles you drink and pour over your head, especially if you bonk the day before. Or so goes the consensus of opinion. Failure on the bicycle during the Tour de France, from that point, all goes down hill with little prospect of recovery, without some kind of concoction, say elixir of newt, brewed by the witches of Macbeth. The UCI dost not like performance enhancing substances whence spells cast upon, or boiling cauldrons, where wayward sisters danced singing incantations. Nope. Wayward witches are very innovative with their recipes, however, so innovative, that WADA must expend extravagant amounts of money to develop tests to detect their potions. Hist! Time to get out yonder rack and force a confession whence after a protracted legal battle and certain financial ruin for the athlete, confession dost fail to be expressed voluntarily. Toil, toil, time and trouble. Have good legal representation because you are going to need it, not to mention two lost years from your life. Then a extended suspension and certain lifetime banishment from cycling forever! Yes the UCI and WADA enforce the law with an iron fist, no excuses and no exceptions!

Poor Floyd Landis: the amount of testosterone detected in his system was deemed not of sufficient quantity to enhance performance; but he was suspended anyway. The only case where the amount of a prohibited substance detected was deemed insufficient to enhance performance and allowed without sanction? Alberto Contador.

Where are the days of Dick Pound, inflexible, determined man of action, an advocate of comfortable satisfaction, strict liability, and punishment? In the new days we have Pat McQuaid, weak, indecisive, a man who proclaims the philosophy of exclusive exceptionalism. Pat McQuaid declaims from the loftiest tower that those who test positive for clenbuterol must be given a free pass; and Pat McQuaid applauds those who proclaim intentions to fight appeals of Spanish Cycling Federation madness; by the UCI or WADA; "to the utmost of mine physical and mental state" as laudable. Of course, there is nothing better when physical and mental attributes fail than to retain highly experienced legal counsel, which may be needed after all, if and when the hypocritical powers awaken to action. Alberto Contador retain your lawyers, you may need them yet, if the corrupt system is to remain in tact. And then your exclusive exceptionalism may not survive; in spite of your egotistical assertions to the contrary.

Beware the ides of March!

The UCI: To Appeal or Not Appeal?

It is official, after interminable delay, Pat McQuaid has ordered International Cycling Union (UCI) lawyers to investigate the basis for an appeal to the unexpected Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) exoneration of three time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, who tested positive for clenbuterol during the second rest day of the 2010 Tour de France. The UCI has thirty days to appeal the RFEC decision and the appeal must be filed by March 21, 2011. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) may also appeal the RFEC exoneration with an extended time limit if the UCI fails to act.

The UCI must act or face certain ridicule as an organization that tolerates innovative dopers and their confederates cheat clean riders in open defiance of the stringent WADA code. The WADA code demands a no tolerance/strict liability policy against prohibited substance use, the mere presence of a prohibited substance detected in the body, regardless of intent, constitutes a violation and warrants a mandatory one year suspension. Athletes found to have engaged in prohibited performance enhancement use or methods that would facilitate an unfair advantage; an increase in performance; are suspended for two years.

Recently, there has been a call to modify the code to take into consideration the absence of motive of athletes who test positive for prohibited substances; to declare human fallibility as a basis for exoneration from punishment. More controversially, many critical thinkers have suggested that the amount of a prohibited substance detected should be considered as a factor; a threshold value. Prohibited substances detected in blood and urine samples below a known performance enhancing level threshold would be deemed a non-violation. Although threshold as a mitigating factor would be pertinent in some cases, it would not apply to all situations. Unfortunately, the threshold argument has a weak scientific foundation, invites a danger of opening a Pandora Box of abuse by innovative doping methods and strategies by unscrupulous doctors who have formulated designs to keep performance enhancing drugs below detectable levels. Possible solution: an intelligent and thorough investigation of the circumstances of a case in an impartial way, with an independent investigative body, considering all of the factors. This would trend toward a more fair judicial determination of the merits and deem what course of action would be proper in these cases.

But for now, we have nothing but the worthless UCI appeal of the ridiculous RFEC decision based upon the inflexible concept of "strict liability." A reasonable discussion of alternatives to the present code and conduct of the anti-doping agencies is not considered possible, even in the face of the insane anti-doping world application of arbitrary and capricious rules, the unequal treatment of athletes based upon ethnic and cultural considerations, and the total failure of the system to curtail doping in sport.

Spain Makes A Mockery of the Anti-Doping Process

The Spanish Sport [Cycling] Federation (RFEC) makes a mockery of the anti-doping quest to rid sport of doping products and methods to increase performance; and thus conveys an unfair advantage to Spanish cyclists. Alberto Contador was recently absolved of all responsibility for testing positive for clenbuterol, a synthetic steroid, during the 2010 Tour de France, because the RFEC claimed that intent could not be reasonably ascertained. Rekindles memories of the WADA phrase "comfortable satisfaction."

Sounds familiar and all too predictable for the Spanish.

Alejandro Valverde was positively linked to Operation Puerto by a perfect DNA match of blood bag 18 found in the office of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes when the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) tested Alejandro Valverde during the 2008 Tour de France. Yet, in spite of this perfect DNA match, the RFEC refused to suspend Alejandro Valverde, allowed Alejandro Valverde to continue to race for two additional years, and win the Vuelta d' Espana!

Of course, the UCI and WADA were forced to act, after interminable delay and pressure from CONI, to file an appeal of the RFEC inaction to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS), which resulted in a two year suspension for Alejandro Valverde for his ties to Operation Puerto.

Until very recently, in Spain, no law existed to punish dopers in athletic competitions. Alberto Contador was cleared of his involvement in Operation Puerto, because of this loophole.

Manolo Saiz, when director sportif for Liberty Seguros, ran an organized doping program with ties to Operation Puerto. Saiz was arrested by the Spanish Civil Guard. Alberto Contador was a member of the 2004 Liberty Seguros team, but was never implicated in this affair.

The UCI provisional suspension of Alberto Contador is no longer in effect. Unless WADA and the UCI file an appeal of the Spanish decision to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS), Alberto Contador will be allowed to retain his 2010 Tour de France title and prize money and he will continue to race.

Allowing a man who tested positive for a performance enhancing drug during a Grand Tour "walk" sets an incredibly bad precedent. The UCI and WADA have no option but to appeal.

Spain regards cyclists as favorite sons who are incapable of error: even in the face of conclusive proof: thus making a mockery of the entire anti-doping effort to ensure "fair play." Although it would be very difficult to change Spanish culture with regards to their heroes, there still remains hope that they will understand the severity of the doping problem and modify their attitudes toward combating misuse and abuse in sport; and act accordingly.

Take That WADA! Alberto Contador Exonerated!

How now John Fahey, Pat McQuaid? The Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) has just smashed the WADA code into oblivion: now you have no option but to appeal this insanity! The moniker of "strict liability" will vanish like a mirage if the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) does not salvage your sorry system! To allow Alberto Contador to race; without any punishment; after a positive test for a prohibited substance detected during a Grand Tour: Horrors! Athletes in every country everywhere will fabricate similar excuses and escape from the WADA gauntlet, um sonst!

UCI President Pat McQuaid has a big problem too. To appeal or not to appeal: that is the question. If the UCI does not appeal will the peloton turn into a shooting gallery where the most innovative methods in illegal performance enhancement prevail?

Yes, the Spanish love their man and they could not force themselves to find him guilty in spite of the evidence, much like the O.J. Simpson jury.

Remember the 2006 WADA executive meeting lamenting the fact that "wealthy" athletes spend inordinate amounts of money challenging "convincing laboratory results?" What an outdated notion! Now athletes spend nothing and win cases loaded with "convincing laboratory results!" Clenbuterol increases performance: clenbuterol was present in Alberto Contador's urine: clenbuterol is on the WADA prohibited list: these are convincing proofs! If WADA was less arrogant: invested more time and money into science and research: the plastic metabolites found in Alberto Contador's urine would have been convincing, not hypothetical bunk and speculation!

Indeed, my head spins over this decision. Compared to the brutal, draconian, treatment of past athletes; this is impossible to believe! The UCI must not allow this decision to stand or there will be an endless number of "contaminated food" arguments; and exoneration!

There is absolutely no reason to argue that doping in cycling is ongoing among a majority of riders. There is no reason to suppose that the total prevalence of doping within the peloton will ever reach more than one percent. But this decision by the RFEC will act as temptation; because riders will reason that the anti-doping establishment has loosened the reigns of vigilance and will allow provable violations to go unpunished if the excuses are imaginative enough.

Alberto Contador Strikes Back

Alberto Contador is an amazing man. First, he claims that the anti-doping science is inadequate to catch cheaters using new sophisticated methodology, then he complains that his Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) is capitulating to pressure from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Cycling Union (UCI): who refuse to accept his tainted meat argument as the source of his positive test for clenbuterol during the second rest day of the 2010 Tour de France. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero goes even farther by claiming that "there is no legal reason to sanction Contador."

But sanctioned Alberto Contador certainly will be, for one year, by the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC): a trifling punishment: suggesting a lack of intent. There is a fundamental disagreement among experts as to the source of the clenbuterol, contaminated meat being most unlikely, blood transfusion most likely, no test to verify either with absolute certainty. WADA lives in a fantasy land, claiming that the tests they do have will detect anything. Seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong would dispute that claim and stands as a perfect example of WADA lies, stupidity, and arrogance: if he doped? Nothing was detected in the USPS cycling team medical waste dug out of a dumpster by a French television station during a past Tour de France and examined by a laboratory, except actovegin, which combined with a rich infusion of platelets at the sight of injury may speed recovery. May speed recovery, an outrageous claim, thousands of dollars are charged by quack doctors who may be providing nothing more than an expensive placebo. Thus the problem, even though traces of actovegin were found among the medical waste; was actovegin a part of the WADA prohibited list at the time? Does actovegin have any medical efficacy? Do we draw the same sort of conclusions that WADA does that the mere presence of a substance regardless of medical efficacy: the ability to increase performance or the ability to increase recovery: constitute mens rea, intent and criminal responsibility? The French probe into the USPS cycling team alleged doping activity generated a large case file, adorned with a photo of Lance Armstrong cycling down the Champs Elysees: with a second photo superimposed of a syringe inserted into his posterior. If this is the result of a three year expensive French investigation into the doping activity of the USPS cycling team, the US Federal government may have to explain away the costs of their Salem like witch hunt without results! The President of the United States of America would have a difficult time proclaiming that there "is no legal bases to sanction Lance Armstrong."

The circle the wagon WADA mentality of defense when questioned by doping experts as to the state of the testing: how could you let a man win seven consecutive Tour de France races against known dopers without a positive test? How could a man associated with Operation Puerto and allied with a team with a known record of doping offenses, Astana: Alexander Vinokourov tested positive for a double cell population after a Tour de France rest day, Alexander Vinokourov injured early in the Tour de France after a collision with a motorcycle, miraculously wins a demanding time trial, without a prohibited technique? Yet, people of teams with notorious reputations, riders with checkered pasts are never red flagged as potential offenders and are allowed to compete and win without discomfort: Phonak! Except for Lance Armstrong, who had the most extensive testing and UCI biological passport data compiled in the history of cycling: during the comeback: yet, LNDD could find no anomalies? How can anyone disagree with Alberto Contador about the disgraceful, deplorable state of the anti-doping crusade?

Will the Spanish release the Alberto Contador case file for public inspection, or will we be held in ignorance about their reasoning until the appeal by the UCI? Is Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero privy to inside information, was he sent a copy of the case file? We are endlessly cautioned not to make inferences without being presented the facts, a posteriori.

Fine, patience is a virtue, there has been an inordinate amount of delay in this case already, but the vital signs would be intriguing.

Reform The WADA Code

Alberto Contador wants to go down swinging. He insists that he is a victim of an unfair anti-doping crusade that insists upon "strict liability." Alberto Contador argues that the minuscule amounts of clenbuterol found in his system did not enhance his performance and should be discounted as an anomaly. Alberto Contador claims to have ingested tainted meat contaminated with clenbuterol; a one year suspension is an outrageous affront to his dignity. He hopes that the Spanish Cycling Federation will change their minds and allow him to keep his 2010 Tour de France title and Saxo Bank contract. You have to feel sorry for the guy.

The arguments used by disgraced cyclists are legion: Floyd Landis argued that the synthetic testosterone measured in his urine samples had little or no performance enhancing qualities, yet he was suspended for two and a half years and was forced by Pierre Bordry to sign a seperate agreement not to race in France while his case was pending. Alberto Contador, in comparison, is being treated humanely with dignity, not as a possessed satanic fiend from hell, like poor Floyd Landis was. Perhaps the anti-doping crusade has become immured, desynthesized to inflicting mental and physical abuse on athletes with these expensive long drawn out legal battles and outrageous suspensions...?

No. Indeed. Alberto Contador can argue till doomsday that the testing science and methods are pre-historic, barbaric monstrosities of a bygone era, but if they were improved? Alas, be careful what you wish for, Alberto Contador, for if the testing were improved the plastics found in your urine would have provided supplemental evidence of your guilt! Very difficult to explain away plastic residues; they are not encoded into one's DNA and reflected in one's physiology. You cannot simply provide a receipt from a doctor, like you can a butcher!

Sorry. For all the shouts for reform nothing happens. For all the calls for "independent oversight," away from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) umbrella, nothing happens. The UCI refuses to wean cycling from WADA. "Conflicts of interest" favor prosecutions. Outcomes are more important than serious considerations of scientific evidence. The anti-doping crusade must enhance it's monetary existence by foul means. The Court of Arbitration of Sport needs to be abolished. The WADA code scrapped!

Because, my friends, no matter your opinion of the Alberto Contador case and aftermath, innocent athletes have been demeaned by the current system and this system needs reform. One year suspensions for athletes who make simple mistakes with no intent to increase performance, or cheat, is outrageous! It would be simpler to disallow an athlete for a competition: or as is done in cycling, prohibition from competition for a fixed period of time "for health reasons."

Yes, Alberto Contador has it all wrong, the science and methods of testing are adequate, not perfect, could be improved, true, but adequate. The punishment extracted by the UCI is Byzantine and bizarre, antiquated, worthless, and nonsensical. Athletes are human beings and are fallible. They should be treated in context, not universally stereotyped as dopers and cheaters. Common sense needs to happen now!

But would such sensible change open the door for dopers intent on cheating the system and create more problems than it solves? No. A simple change would not lull the anti-doping crusade into somnolence, the vigilance will not diminish, there is nothing to fear, but maybe very much to gain.

Independent Oversight of the Anti-Doping Process?

ESPN writer Bonnie Ford writes an excellent summary of the "conflict of interest" that exists in the anti-doping establishment as it pertains to results management by nationality; Spain gives Alberto Contador a light suspension of one year. Alberto Contador claims this means that his federation agreed with his lack of intent to dope argument. But the Spanish would prefer to let Alberto Contador race with no punishment at all, because unlike America, the Spanish value their Tour de France champions, and unlike America, don't see any value in protracted witch hunts.

Ah! A standardized system of judicial review of doping cases by an international committee "independent" of the athlete's country of origin. Bonnie Ford has an excellent idea and this should be implemented immediately. However, this original concept should be expanded to include an "independent" body that would oversee all testing and accreditation of World Anti-Doping laboratories, results management, anti-doping review boards (ADRB). All Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) should be reviewed by an "independent" committee before being filed; much like an indictment, which is filed after a determination from a grand jury examination of prosecution evidence and witnesses.

The problem, very simply stated, lies in the anti-doping organizations monopoly of the process and the attempt to maintain perfect conviction records. Employees of the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) are precluded from offering any testimony that would question the methodology or testing results of the laboratories, even though they note egregious errors and violations of International Standards.

"Independent" observation of the confirmation "B" tests that included an unbiased group of experts in mass spectrometry, in addition, to the athlete's representative, would add not only invaluable information as to the veracity of the testing but would prevent problems encountered in the past. In the Floyd Landis case, a defense expert complained that parts of the confirmation test was done outside of his vision. In addition, an "independent" group could mediate the defense requests for "crucial" information that the prosecution must provide to the defense in the discovery process. Despite repeated requests for documents pertaining to the French WADA accredited laboratory LNDD, Allen Lim and the Floyd Landis defense were "stonewalled" and denied access to documents by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), for one entire year, until the AAA arbitration panel ordered USADA to comply. This unconscionable "stonewalling" by Travis T. Tygart is unacceptable practice, motivated for advantage in an adversarial system, and costly for the defendant. "Stonewalling" defense requests for information should be illegal and punished to the full extent of the law!

Christiane Ayotte

WADA would miss a perfect opportunity for prosecution perfection if they do not choose Christiane Ayotte to lead the certain Alberto Contador appeal of his one year suspension to the Court of Arbitration of Sport. (CAS) Indeed, let the maestro conduct the orchestra, and no evil will prevail. Ms. Ayotte certainly does not buy the Alberto Contador tainted steak argument, her comments on the subject border on hilarity: "You'll never find a ton of clenbuterol [in an athlete's urine sample] because the doses are really small. Most of the samples are below one nanogram [a billionth of a gram]". (Bonnie Ford, 2011) Ms. Ayotte claims that the Montreal WADA accredited laboratory that she directs has tested over 20,000 clenbuterol samples. There seems to be a very large incidence and prevalence among cyclists of clenbuterol use and detection, according to Ms. Ayotte: "Is there a genetic predisposition to eat more contaminated meat in these [cycling] sports?" (Bonnie Ford, 2011) Excellent! The maestro cannot be played by preposterous fables! John Fahey and WADA this is your moment to sparkle in the Sun! This is the moment for Ms. Ayotte to become a legend! Strike while the iron is hot! Put her in charge of the Alberto Contador appeal!

And let Floyd Landis race again! Enough is enough!

Alberto Contador Is Toast

Whew! One day away from the computer leads to the most interesting results! "Baby Contador" is suspended for one year! Kudos to Strbuk, who predicted this outcome! (I have added one of her blogs to my blog list as a reward for her perspicacity.) Now we wait for the UCI to lower the boom and order the Amauary Sport Organization to rescind Alberto Contador's 2010 Tour de France title!

A one year suspension by the Spanish Cycling Federation suggests that the clenbuterol was taken by accident. Maybe so, maybe Alberto Contador ate a contaminated stake raised by some hack Spanish farmer. There have been reports of sickness due to tainted Spanish meat; but not for a number of years...

Ah well, nothing to be concerned about as the suspension allows for an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport...probably nothing more than a rubber stamp formality of the Spanish Cycling Federation ban. A more interesting question: If Alberto Contador does appeal will the UCI insist that the ban be increased. Most doping cases carry a two year ban. The jurisdiction for management of the case has been transferred to WADA at UCI request, so will WADA appeal for an increase in sanction? Is WADA intervention in this case legal?

So many questions, and such a different approach from the days of yore, when the anti-doping establishment loved to hand out excess banishment. The UCI pro-tour teams were precluded from hiring a rider with a doping related suspension for four years; until Liquigas upset the apple cart and hired reformed doper extraordinaire Saint Ivan Basso to a contract! Take that Pat McQuaid, you nitwit! Old innocent, without intent to cheat, Floyd Landis, a guy we should be willing to excuse because everyone is guilty of some transgression: why cast stones when living in glass houses! got a two and a half year suspension for synthetic testosterone. True, Floyd Landis did race the Leadville 100 after testing positive, and the Leadville 100 is sanctioned by NORBA, and the UCI probably thought that Floyd was rubbing their noses in excrement. Add six months more of punishment!

My, how things change! The Alberto Contador case is so complex because you can't really determine what happened; tainted meat or transfused blood? And nobody cares enough to inquire among the team to ascertain the possible existence of a second Doctor Blood.

Christiane Prudhomme and Amauary Sport Organization are playing their cards are very close to the vest with typical French indifference, waiting for everyone else to play their cards first!

Alberto Contador To Be Suspended?

The Christian Science Monitor has reported that a rumor is afloat that Alberto Contador will be officially suspended by the Spanish Cycling Federation for his positive test for clenbuterol during the second rest day of the 2010 Tour de France, and as a consequence his 2010 Tour de France title will be rescinded. Is Alberto Contador a scapegoat, a victim of an over zealous doing establishment bent upon a policy of no tolerance; or a doped cheater who would drop the maillot jaune with a dropped chain in clear violation of cycling etiquette?

WADA code states a policy of no tolerance even if substances listed on the prohibited list were mistakenly taken; apply a topical solution without first checking on the ingredients will result in a two year suspension; because WADA reasons that presence indicates culpability and intent. Clenbuterol was present, this is a violation, thus a suspension.

But WADA code provides for an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS). The Court of Arbitration of Sport is a bizarre organization where the case starts anew from scratch; where old opinions do not set precedence; where rules are made up as they go along. The arbitrators have unlimited power. Arbitrary and capricious rulings are allowed. There is no legal appeal to any court outside of Switzerland where the CAS is domiciled. Most of the time the arbitrators are scientifically unqualified to render a competent decision. Expert opinion and testimony from WADA laboratory experts that question laboratory methods and procedures are prohibited if they favor the defense of the athlete. Independent experts who are deemed qualified to interpret highly technical or complex scientific issues are selected by the arbitrators: one arbitrator representing the prosecution, one the defense, and one "independent" arbitrator: the selection usually is a WADA laboratory director who is constrained from presenting a unbiased opinion of the evidence. CAS testimony is conducted in secret; apparently with the motive of protecting the athlete. The entire International Olympic Committee (IOC) structure of anti-doping management would be jeopardized without a continuous string of guilty verdicts. If Pat McQuaid and the UCI had any sense they would abandon the IOC once and for all! Until they do, the ends justify the means, regardless of fairness.

There should be reform of the process; but where do you draw the line? The Floyd Landis case was a disaster for the anti-doping crusade, because the most basic standards were ignored. The measurements were questioned because the laboratory made dozens of fundamental mistakes; ignored WADA code; LNDD refused to maintain a credible chain-of-custody; calibrate the equipment properly; employ people capable of understanding the equipment they were operating. WADA maintained a laissez faire, arrogant, laboratory can do wrong cavalier attitude, above the law, subject to oversight by no legal authority. Yet, in spite of running a disastrous operation, the GC/C/IRMS measurements were correct! Floyd Landis later admitted his doping behavior after spending his entire fortune fighting the anti-doping establishment! So where do you draw the line?

Should the system base everything on the amount of a prohibited substance detected being enough to increase performance? What about the theory that plastics were detected in the blood that indicates a blood transfusion? Should this evidence be ignored even though it may indicate traces of contaminated blood taken from the rider during a training period and re-infused during the Tour de France? There are no easy answers here!

WADA and the UCI are not investing enough money and the code needs reform; how to reach reasonable goals remains a serious question. Perhaps a panel of scientific experts should convene; and the problems solved by committee!

Lance Armstrong: Roberts and Epstein Article: Nothing New

Sports Illustrated has a new article which deals with the never ending Lance Armstrong investigation. There was also an interview of Selena Roberts on All Things Considered.

Reading through the Sports Illustrated article was disappointing, old rehashed accusations, innuendo, nothing of interest except Don Catlin. Good old boy Don Catlin, pioneer, anti doping crusader, expert in detection of doping, accused of cooking the books for Lance Armstrong? Indeed?

There were some old [Lance Armstrong] records of testosterone/epitestosterone ratios above 6:1 that David Epstein and Selena Roberts declare "a positive?" Not so. Testosterone/Epitestosterone ratios are not "positive" tests, they merely suggest suspicious values that should be investigated further: for possible abuse of synthetic testosterone, precursors of testosterone, analogues of testosterone, etc. Before the development of mass spectrometry (MS), a test developed by Don Catlin, suspicious testosterone/epitestosterone values were verified with longitudinal studies. The notion that an athlete could maintain a constant rate of high testosterone/epitestosterone over time by artificial means was considered very improbable. If it was determined over time that the testosterone/epitestosterone value declined to a baseline value and remained constant; say 1:1 only then could the measured "peak" above 6:1 be considered an analytical positive. Later, of course, high testosterone/epitestosterone levels could be examined by carbon isotope ratios to determine if a Carbon 13 synthetic testosterone supplement was present; a clear violation of the WADA prohibited substance rule. In this case, the presence of the synthetic testosterone; constitutes the violation; the testosterone/epitestosterone level merely supplements the violation with additional evidence; additive but not essential to confirm an adverse analytical finding. Later WADA changed the normal testosterone/epitestosterone range to 4:1. Nevertheless, the statement made by Selena Roberts and David Epstein that the old "high [Lance Armstrong] ratios had not lead to sanctions," is misleading, for the above mentioned reasons and should be discarded as sheer nonsense.

One other thing should be mentioned. In the Floyd Landis case, a notorious example of incompetence of testosterone/epitestosterone testing occurred, a single urine sample returned four different results! This wanton disregard by a WADA accredited laboratory proves that confirmation by carbon isotope ratio tests are absolutely essential. Since the old Lance Armstrong testosterone/epitestosterone tests have no longitudinal or carbon isotope ratio confirmations they are essentially useless as evidence. There is an option of opening the urine sample safe, extracting the frozen urine sample, and doing the carbon isotope tests post facto. If the old urine samples do not exist: nothing can be proven!

What is not nonsense is the fact that Don Catlin tried to cover up positive drug tests of Olympic athletes, according to old witness testimony. If true, this could prove to be very problematic for Don Catlin! If a lie, this could prove very problematic for his accusers! Floyd Landis's opinion that Lance Armstrong was Don Catlin's favorite athlete and that this suggests a motive for cover up is insane babble by Landis; his favorite occupation of late; and proves nothing! It also should be noted that Floyd Landis had an insane hatred of Don Catlin, because Catlin refused to bend from his opinion that Landis had used performance enhancing drugs! Foo! What nonsense!

Last point: investigators found e-mail messages from team Radio Shack to "Doctor Blood" Michele Farrari, dated in 2009. Lance Armstrong employed Michele Farrari as a consultant, but, claimed to have severed all ties in 2004? Doctor Blood claimed that rEPO used properly was as dangerous as drinking orange juice? Very interesting. However, even if Radio Shack did have contacts with Michele Farrari in 2009 this does not prove that Lance Armstrong had any contact.

So nothing new. No bombshells. Nothing of importance here that would be of concern to Lance Armstrong. A dud. No new evidence of prohibited substance use. Yawn. A bore.

Floyd Landis Advocates Universal Doping?

What? Floyd Landis calls for universal doping? Man that guy creeps me out. I mean the object is to end doping for all sports, in all athletes, not to promote a race to the bottom in innovative, creative, drugs and methods to promote exponential increases in performance!

Floyd Landis retires according to Rant Your Head Off. Rant explains Floyd Landis' behavior, an interesting summary. True, the cycling community treated Floyd Landis in the worst possible manner...indecently. Floyd Landis was portrayed as the worst of villains, a serial cheat, how else do you explain his incredible run of success? In 2006 Floyd Landis was an unbeatable machine, The Tour of Georgia, the Tour of California, the Tour de France! Doped to the gills in every race too, which, is an unfortunate thing, that doping. Floyd Landis had an expectation of never being detected, the laboratories were so incompetent! After all Lance Armstrong and the entire US Postal Service team doped with impunity and Jacques DeCeaurriz and LNDD so stupid! AFLD for all their bluster, their braggadocio, the detested Pierre Bordry, the clowns, were in such a hurry to vacation, rushed the testing, with nothing to fear from Dick Pound and WADA! Ah, but we can't stop there, because Travis T. Tygart and his over zealous USADA brood were hunting the peloton for dopers and Floyd Landis skated by right in front of their noses!

There are people who help these greedy good for nothing dopers cheat and they are never investigated or caught or arrested with rare exceptions. This is not a justification for cheating or doping or encouraging people to dope or cheat. But the practice continues unabated in spite of the fact that Pat McQuaid shouts imprecations for reform down from the ivory tower he has barricaded himself in. Action not words are required for reform; even though the UCI does not act. Arrests and jail, not empty rhetoric are required to incentify honesty, Mr. McQuaid, you infernal buffoon!

No...no...no...synthetic hemoglobin is unacceptable, DNA manipulation is unacceptable, athletes who are laboratory rats is unacceptable! Floyd Landis you are insane, you were forced out after a sensational drug induced year, we don't need you around cycling, clear out! Retire back to your cabin as a recluse; fend off your lawsuits best you can. You are a cancer, a bad example for the youth of America and the World.



Good thing they caught you in time or juniors or category three guys would want to follow your example, and risk all for the Grand Tour glory. If they listen to your insane advice the road to ruin will not be far behind. Go away!

Alberto Contador On The Verge of Death?

Last post wondered with incredulity as to the state of Alberto Contador's health atop the Tourmalet col; smiling and chatting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy like a celebrity, instead of feigning symptoms common with clenbuterol poisoning. But, perhaps it is bad etiquette to show suffering anywhere but on the bike? Looking at the film, Alberto attacks out of the saddle, without any sign of discomfort; with a closed mouth and even breathing, he hardly breaks a sweat! Signs more of bronchial dilation and increased oxygenation of the blood by artificial means, than from symptoms of acute clenbuterol poisoning...

Alas, a quick Internet search reveals the symptoms of clenbuterol poisoning: increased heart rate, muscular tremors, headache, nausea, fever, chills. From a deductive evaluation of the evidence, the presence of French President Nicolas Sarkozy on the podium could account for all of the symptoms independent of clenbuterol! But, how to explain those explosive attacks, a look over the shoulder at Andy Schleck, then sprint for dear life! Very strange behavior of an emaciated man on the verge of death!

The AFLD Gets Creative

The Spanish Cycling Federation afraid that people will interpret a verdict of innocence in the Alberto Contador case as a blatant form of patriotism by the Spanish doping authorities: have requested the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to join in a unified verdict. This would eliminate the most inconvenient expedient of a protracted appeal, examination of evidence, and trial of Alberto Contador by the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS). Perhaps the Spanish are concerned that the case will drag on past the start of the 2011 Tour de France. UCI president Pat McQuaid has suggested such a possibility, confounded idiot! When, one wonders, will the UCI learn to keep quiet in these matters; instead of stirring up the hornets!

Sure, the 2011 Tour de France will be a wonderful race to watch, with or without Alberto Contador! Pat McQuaid please refrain from telling us what we already know; you are embarrassing yourself again; which you promised not to do ever again; remember?

2011 has gotten off to an outstanding start. Encore!

2011: A Clean Year In Cycling?

Deja vu: we have all been here before, lamenting the year and pleading for sanity. 2010 has to stand as one of the worst since 2006, a second Tour de France champion in disgrace! Cycling in disgrace! The anti-doping crusade on the verge of disgrace if not adamant in enforcing the rules! Madame Defarge will you accept the challenge or cringe in cowardice?

Who would ever suggest that Pat McQuaid could be so stupid as to encourage behavior that reeks of conflict of interest? The UCI in accepting money from Lance Armstrong, currently under investigation for doping, in the form of a bribe, as asserted by supreme disgrace Floyd Landis: is a unacceptable breach of conduct and inexcusable! The UCI should ensure that this sort of thing never happens again, the oldest and most trite cliche ever penned by man! Conflict of interest with such people as notorious, suspected dopers--what were you thinking?

On bended knee, weeping, I begged the peloton to stop doping! A slap in the face followed. At the Tour of Utah riders threw water bottles over my head, filled with energy drink! I cheered them on with enthusiasm! No number of positive tests makes me waver. Addicted to cycling, there is no cure. I ask once again, 2011 is here: make it a clean one.

The Spanish Cycling Federation has one chance: conviction. Anything else will permanently damage cycling and the anti-doping crusade forever. There are no apologists for Alberto Contador here.

The UCI biological passport is a failure as predicted. Gianni Bugno claims that Franco Pellizotti is being blackmailed by the UCI. Riders are being excluded from racing contracts based upon suspicion. Blame yourselves, there are too many variables to explain the variance, biological ranges are much too large and do not account for individual differences, without a positive test nothing can be proven. The UCI biological passport has morphed into an abusive practice that is being applied unfairly to riders; excluding those who should have a right to a fair process of clearing defamatory conclusions; based upon tendencies not concrete facts!

Foo! Another year of this nonsense, nonsense that should have ended this year! We still have the Lance Armstrong case, the Floyd Landis allegations, and the Alberto Contador fiasco to contend with, shameless.

Cynical people refrain from your jest, someday this madness will end. The eternal optimist has spoken.

Update: Does Alberto Contador look like he is suffering from clenbuterol posioning to you?

Floyd Landis and Pat McQuaid Feud Into Irrelevance

The Floyd Landis and Pat McQuaid feud is dwindling away into irrelevance. Floyd Landis accuses McQuaid and the UCI of covering up positive tests of prohibited substance use by star riders like Lance Armstrong in exchange for bribes; in the forms of donations. Pat McQuaid accuses Floyd Landis of being a liar and has threatened to sue him in court for libel because of an interview Landis did in a German periodical. I love the German sense of humor; attention, dopers! with a syringe being plunged into an imaginary athlete with dramatic sound imagery. Current stories of doping miscreants Floyd Landis and Alberto Contador are featured in doping webmagazin; Landis makes an assertion that the Postal boys were doing blood transfusions on a regular bases and therefore it would be quite impossible to avoid detection by WADA accredited laboratories. So hence the cover up, with promises of money to the UCI by doped riders in exchange for silence, corruption and conspiracy. Ironically, Landis seems to forget that he spent two years and millions of dollars challenging not only the motives of the UCI; but the laboratory methods and competence of WADA accredited laboratories that detected testosterone in his samples! Why did Pat McQuaid and the UCI refuse to make a deal with Floyd Landis if the desire of the UCI is greed only? Very improbable that Pat McQuaid would strike a deal with Lance Armstrong and the US Postal team and ignore a goldmine opportunity with Floyd Landis.

In the spirit of the season; bah humbug! a plague on both of your houses; Floyd Landis and Pat McQuaid!

The United States Government seems to take the Floyd Landis testimony of doping by Lance Armstrong and the US Postal Service Team quite seriously. For now. We duped fans are still waiting for an indictment, trial, and conviction of the criminals. Meanwhile 2010 is near death and 2011 looms large, with another year of misdeeds fading in statute of limitations oblivion.

Slow torture works faster than the United States federal government. Lance Armstrong might escape and then sue Floyd Landis from sheer ennui, and lack of interest. But Floyd Landis is a poor man who owes money to the Floyd Fairness Fund donaters who were duped into making contributions to his cause; and Lance Armstrong probably might have to wait until doomsday to collect his damages.

Pat McQuaid will have to wait until other players extract a pound of flesh from Floyd Landis; no need to mention the French government and the outstanding warrant for computer hacking; before he can carve the beast. The UCI should call the Landis nonsense absurd and stop there.

As for justice: if a judge asks Pat McQuaid if anyone believes that the UCI took money from riders to cover up doping misdeeds and McQuaid says no, the case will probably be immediately dismissed as outrageous. Which it is.

The Alberto Contador Doping Allegations Drag On

Breaking news! The Alberto Contador case will drag on until middle January when, no matter what the decision, the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) assures us that there will be an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport!

Incredible! I was thinking that maybe, by some miracle, Alberto Contador would plead guilty and we would be done with this charade!

No, no. Saxo Bank gave Alberto Contador eight million euro reasons to deny doping, much to the disgust of pure cycling advocates everywhere.

Pat McQuaid assures us that all is not lost, the UCI has transferred authority of the Alberto Contador doping allegations to the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA). The World Anti-Doping Authority is an adamant anti-doping organization that insists on strict liability. Clenbuterol is not an endogenous substance found in either man or livestock. The case is clear, Alberto Contador tested positive for clenbuterol. The "B" sample confirmed the "A" sample. The meat allegedly served to the Astana professional cycling team for dinner was not contaminated. Clenbuterol is still a WADA prohibited substance. Two years! What is there to appeal?

No need to bother to mention the presence of common plastics found in blood transfusion bags in Alberto Contador's urine samples, or to the blood transfusion theory asserted by most doping experts, because the test for these plastics does not have one-hundred-per-cent validity and reliability that proves culpability. As a purist, science demands one-hundred-per-cent validity and reliability in all doping tests that are subject to an extensive literature of peer review; not to tests that invite theoretical challenges that are subject to hypothetical bunk and speculation!

I have maintained all along that the guillotine is a better punishment than a firing squad; remember my references to Madame Defarge on the Floyd Landis Topix forum? Madame Defarge, the crazy lady from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, who knitted names of the French aristocracy and clergy who would be executed during the Reign of Terror, into her shrouds! I accused Christiane Ayotte, the head of the WADA lab in Montreal, of being the reincarnation of Madame Defarge when she went full speed ahead against now confessed doper Floyd Landis. Put Christiane Ayotte in charge of the Alberto Contador case, let her sharpen the blade! After all, Christiane Ayotte said that she would be appalled if WADA dropped the strict liability doctrine adopted by Richard Young! If a few innocent athletes are ensnared in the process, well WADA is investing money into research to assure that this does not happen. Unlike the AFLD, who don't care about anything, especially how there worthless laboratories operate.

I respect and admire Christiane Ayotte as a true scholar of doping science and I trust her opinion implicitly. I have cited her statements on numerous occasions and I truly believe that she would be the be the best possible WADA prosecution representative available.

Alberto Contador must be suspended for two years. There is no other option.