Welcome

Welcome to this corner of the web. Hope you find it interesting. If you do: come back again, tell your mum or subscribe! If you want to share your thoughts on cycling in the early 21st century, then do it.

Friday, 19 October 2012

Lance scandal is destroying cycling

The UCI must be absolutely shi**ing themselves this morning as the Lance case claims its first real victim which will hit the sport where it hurts - in the pocket.
Despite, Nike, Trek and that beer brand all disowning Lance, the various doping bans which were handed out and Johann Bruyneel getting the bullet from Nissan Trek, Rabbobank's decision to end its association with the sport after 17 years, really brings home how tainted the sport of cycling has become for sponsors.
The UCI need to act and need to act fast.  
The 21 day window it has to respond to the USADA's reasoned decision still has over a week to run and so far, the silence has been deafening.  Their defensive statements in the run up to the report's production add to the impression that the UCI is intent on looking for wriggle room in the USDA's case.
However, while they do noting, the world is still turning and they are rapidly being painted into a corner by the series of event which is unfolding before their eyes.
Whatever the UCI does next, needs to be decisive, show leadership and show a way forward for the sport.
We're out
Failing to bottom out the crisis at this stage will be a critical failure of leadership which would have severe ramifications for the sport.  By far the most sensible suggestion I've heard so far in how to achieve this is Jonathan Vaughters' idea of a truth and reconciliation commission.  It would be fun to watch the UCI having to swallow this one too!

1 comment:

  1. Update: The UCI has spoken, well they had to didn't they! We'll find out on Monday http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/oct/19/uci-lance-armstrong-doping

    ReplyDelete