Miss a doping test? Get sacked.

“Alex Rasmussen’s contract has been terminated with immediate effect for breach of the team’s code of conduct.”….The cyclist was due to join the Garmin-Cervelo team in 2012 but will have to find another team. The American outfit, who built their reputation on a strong anti-doping stance, said they will not now recruit him.

Strong action speaks volumes.

Not an isolated incident either. Any relation to Michael Rasmussen?

Google Adrian Mutu Chelsea Cocaine, Flashy.

Cycling is far, far worse than Footy for doping. It’s entire history is steeped in the use of performance enhancing substances.

in the current climate he may well have an issue finding a ride this late in the season. I wonder if he was actually guilty of taking anything or just stupid?

Pity about Jeanie Longo, but i guess not totally surprising.

Or…..

Cycling is far, far worse than Footy for doping.

Maybe cycling actually does something about it, rather than just sweeping it under the millionaire’s carpet?

Elf, did you see the dispatches on C4 earlier this week, the bit that got me was how failed tests for steroids wear simply ignored. The reason football seems better is they have better lawyers nothing more.

Dispatches drugs in Football

SHAME ON YOU FLASHY
that is should come to this the drugs policy of envy

sweeping it under the millionaire’s carpet

why does how much they earn matter
Very disappointed in you

Evidence of systematic doping in footy please.

Elf watch the program,

Was there actually any evidence in the programme?

I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but statistically, footy is a much ‘cleaner’ sport than pro cycling.

Lol that programme was far from serious. Just the usual…

That’s not to say football is clean.

Football does not require players to compete for several hours a day for a week or more in any event so the physical demands on the body are not really comparable to pro-cycling.

Presently reading David Miller’s book at the moment. Depressing stuff.

football only requires players to be tested when they play – ie. if they are injured they do not test – allowing them to dope up during recovery periods.

ever wondered how players seem to back on the pitch from serious injuries in less time than you or i would be up and walking again?

Presently reading David Miller’s book at the moment. Depressing stuff.

But a properly gripping read. Fantastic book.

Football is riddled with corruption and doping, not all of it performance related. The tests are a joke – wendyballers are told when the tests will be and there is nothing during the off-season or when you’re injured anyway. There is very little structured anti-doping in football.

A while ago a load of representatives from football went to the GB Cycling Team to find out about their training, testing etc and they went away very shocked. When asked if they were going to introduce such testing regimes to football the reply was that the overpaid ponces wouln’t accept it. There is far too much money in football for people to start rocking the boat.

Football is riddled with corruption and doping

Ha ha! Oh, and cycling’s not, I suppose… 😆

Leave off. You’re just jealous cos you can’t play footy and got made to play netball in your pants, with all the girls laughing at you….

Why concentrate on football?

What about Tennis, I’d say there is far more to be gained from perf enhancing drugs in the likes of tennis than football (note OP, it’s football, not soccer…) and certainly plenty of cash to win. Rugby? they are all **** huge, and I’d say there is more to be gained in rugby than football in terms of physical strength gained by whatever means.

As much as I can’t be arsed with football anymore, the constant stream of folk who know bugger all about it telling me where football is going wrong is quite tiresome.

Actually I played Fives but I wouldn’t expect a commoner like you to know what that is… 😉

Watch the documentary Elfin. It’s quite interesting.
Of course cycling has a problem but it’s a lot less than what most people imagine and it’s cleaned it’s act up quite considerably recently. Operacion Puerto had a lot of names on that list – cyclists, footballers, tennis players… What names were made public? Oh that’s right, just the cyclists. Football covered it all up very neatly.

Eton or Rugby, CL? We had both at my alma mater.

Rugby

Actually I played Fives but I wouldn’t expect a commoner like you to know what that is…

Actually I went to school which dabbled in the game, but I wouldn’t expect you to know that… 😉

Assumption FAIL.

The sport of cycling has bin covering up drug use for thousands of years.

Those in glass houses…

Ah, we had both. Despite being a sport from a Slough comp, I favoured Eton Fives

Rugby league is a good candidate for being awash with steds IMHO – seriously tough game that demands strength and speed, yet doesn’t have the high profile that would put it under the microscope. Terry Newton was done for HGH last year, with sad consequences, and he can’t have been the only one.

Back on track…

Rasmussen missed one test (OK, three but HTC only knew about the most recent one). Technically, he hasn’t actually tested positive for anything (although in cycling, unlike in a lot of other sports, a missed test = positive) He was immediately sacked by HTC and also suspended by the Danish Federation.

Compare that to the footballers who actually tested positive for banned drugs including cocaine. The vast majority were never even made public. Suspended quietly for a couple of months (covered up by the club by explaining it was an injury) or even suspended during the off-season when it doesn’t matter.

[coughs] contador [/coughs]

Back on track…

Probbly best for you, eh? Save yourself further embarassment…. 😉

Compare that to the footballers who actually tested positive for banned drugs including cocaine. The vast majority were never even made public.

Any actual evidence? Because if there was, I’m sure the FA/FIFA/EUFA would’ve acted on it.

Whereas in the world of pro cycling, everyone knew what was going on, and the recent clampdown is only to protect the sport’s commercial interests (can’t afford big sponsors like T-Mobile pulling out).

There are several in the pro peloton on the big tours who’ve doped. I can’t really see your argument about cycling ‘punishing’ dopers more than footy….

Any actual evidence? Because if there was, I’m sure FIFA/EUFA would’ve acted on it.

You mean other than the Dispatches programme (linked to above on 4od) which you haven’t yet watched? And the fact that FIFA and UEFA aren’t exactly known for being pure as driven snow themselves.

I’m not claiming cycling is 100% pure cos it isn’t. Just saying, the problem in cycling is far less now than what most people imagine and a lot of that is down to the reporting of any offences. It just doesn’t happen in most other sports – doesn’t mean it’s not happening though…

FIFA and UEFA as paragons of virtue? Comedy genius!

Where’s the evidence?

Actual, legally damning evidence….

[coughs]what about him?[/coughs]

Didn’t Ferdinand miss a drug test then got made England captain?

There is no drugs in football/tennis/rugby fact! Only a total twonk would believe that. It’s sport, it’s got shed loads money involved and people question if drugs are used. The deluded in action.

It’s entire history is steeped in the use of performance enhancing substances.

<cough> Monkey bollocks </cough>

read Paul Kimmages’book on holiday and from his perspective all be it from a while ago as a cyclist, but as a journalist he just wants to look them in the eye at the finish. He feels there is still a problem to resolve.

There is indeed still a problemt to resolve. Cycling is trying to resolve that problem. Soccer is not.

Fair comment Cpt.

Doping will always follow the money. Look at the richest sports and you’ll find the dopers assuming that it’s in anybodies interest to look.

Cycling’s not completely clean and like every other sport in which there is money or glory to be gained it never will be, but I wholeheartedly believe that it is cleaner than at any time in the last twenty years and is still heading in the right direction as far as doping is concerned.

Cycling is trying to resolve that problem. Soccer is not.

Is it unfeasible to think that they might be tackling it in a different way? From within through education, for example.

This is not really a fair comparison.

Soccer vs Cycling
=
Hobby vs Sport

My impression is that FIFA and the FA aren’t interested in tarnishing their game by outing drugs cheats.

It’s completely inconceivable given what we know about footballer’s morals and the amount of money involved in football that a large number of players aren’t juiced to the max. Given that it could be the difference between a £50k a week contract or a £60k a week contract and some England caps and that testing doesn’t really happen, once you remove the moral objection, why would you not?

Sure I can’t prove that, but we all know it’s the case.

Is it unfeasible to think that they might be tackling it in a different way? From within through education, for example.

lets hope it is as successful as the respect campaign towards referees as they sure educated them there.

Re Contador DS
i actually spoke to my brother about this and his line is why would he cheat? what was the point of cheating and on on a rest day at thos elevels. I have no answer to that one tbh seems like really really rubbish cheating. Therefore I am not sure the verdict will clear up anything and I fear a conspiracy view whatever happens as I could believe either view 😕