Doping confession from David Millar...

[jaybird]

For those of more interested in the skinny tire side of things, looks like Team Confidis has just about blown everything. Police found vials of EPO at his home while he was detained for questioning.


According to Friday's edition of L'Equipe, World Time Trial Champion David Millar (Cofidis) has allegedly confessed to taking EPO. Millar allegedly made the confession to French police while he spent 48 hours in custody in Biarritz this week.

L'Equipe reported that empty ampoules of Eprex (EPO) were found by French police in Millar's house whilst he was being detained, writing "Millar has recognised that he used Eprex (erythropoetin) in the practice of his profession which puts him in the same position as a positive rider in the eyes of the UCI."

If this is the case, Millar will likely be charged by Nanterre judge Richard Pallain, who is heading the investigation into the Cofidis team, with illegal possession and use of toxic substances. So far, eight others have been charged in the affair which began early this year: Cédric Vasseur, Philippe Gaumont, Robert Sassone, Médéric Clain, Marek Rutkiewicz and Daniel Majewski (all riders), Boguslaw Madejak (ex-Cofidis physiotherapist), Oleg Kozlitine (former directeur sportif of Oktos).

[nigel]

I wonder how many Pro's take stuff, Id bet its at least 90%+ of the guys in the big races, and yes im sure even Lance has done it.

D

[EmL34]

If Armstrong has used EPO or anything illegally (because he used it legally when he was being treated) it would be the biggest fraud in the history of sports - bigger than the Black Sox, bigger than the East German 'Women'.

[ryno lite]

Hell, look at all of our olympic athletes, they're all getting caught or under suspision! It takes the fun out of watching the Olympics and things like the tour cause I always fear that down the road, that my favorite athletes will be stripped of their awards. I'm against cheating of any kind, but I have lost a lot of interest in watching most sports because of all the scandals. Yeah, I agree, most cyclists probably do something or another and all the new methods seem to sneak under the testing radar. Hope Lance can sneak through again and retire. I'd hate to see another American athlete scandal!

[nigel]

If Armstrong has used EPO or anything illegally (because he used it legally when he was being treated) it would be the biggest fraud in the history of sports - bigger than the Black Sox, bigger than the East German 'Women'.
Oh but ya know he's at least tried it, or im sure had his "treatments" include something or other. He would be an idiot for doing it with his past and such, how his body would react and all, but they've all done it.

D

[martini]

Sorry, gotta play devils advocate here for a sec...if 90% of the field in Le Tour are doing in one form or another, is it really cheating? Its not like you're one of the few doing it to keep an advantage. You'd be one of the many, simply trying to keep up.

That being said, I believe that EPO needs to be out of sports. It really is ruining what used to be pure and accessible to anyone who had talent or the gumption to work thier assss off.

[TomT]

Why not just say to hell with it? I too have thought about this option. I don't think doping should be allowed, but who gets to define what doping is?

If an athlete works his butt off and trains hard, he should deserve the success he earns. Then he eats a lot of bananas, and a few PowerBars for "energy". Of course he takes a few Advil and rubs down with Icy Hot for muscle aches and pains. In the morning a few vitamin supplements and some hay fever medicine.

All of these "normal" items alter what gets into your blood, I also consider each a "performance enhancer" in their own right. When does a performance enhancer become illegal, and who will decide?

Why not just say to hell with it? My answer to that is because people die. For some, Darwin awards will be presented, for others when big money is involved, the uneducated get hurt.

[Don Youngdahl]

Why not just say to hell with it and just let them take whatever they please, Olympics included. :confused:
About 10 years ago a survey of elite atheletes was taken where they were asked if they were guaranteed an olympic gold medal, would they take drugs that were sure to drastically shorten their life or kill them in 5 years? 50 percent said yes.

Banning drugs is to make it fair for the other 50 percent.

Don Youngdahl

[GearDaddy]

I'd highly recommend reading the article done last year in Outside Magazine that accounts the experience of the writer going out to find a performance drug specialist, and then going through a regimen of treatments with Human growth hormone, steroids, and EPO. He used a series of brevet's as his testing ground for results. Very revealing first-hand account of the effect of drugs on a cyclist.

The article really reinforced my feeling that they should do what they can to control this drug use. First of all, there are some serious $$$ associated with getting results. So, letting drug use run free will only lead to massive polarization between haves and have nots as far as who wins. That's not the kind of competition I'd like to see.

The other thing (probably more important) is the effect it has on not just professional riders, but enthusiasts alike. The Outside magazine quickly points out that when the writer went seeking for drugs and "doctors" to help him, he found a whole culture of drug dealer types and people willing to take nasty drugs (i.e. vetrinary drugs!) to "improve" themselves. It was truly scary. I am all for stamping that out.

Professional bike racing has a long history of controversy over substances. In the early days they used cocaine like it was going out of style. A lot of treatments have never really proven to provide any significant advantage, which has clouded the whole argument over whether people are really cheating or not. I say keep testing for everyone's benefit.

[SPR]

This from Velonews:
Tour drug testers vow strike
Doping checks during the Tour de France appeared to be under threat Monday after three unions representing staff at France's national drug-screening laboratory warned they would go on strike when the event starts Saturday.
Citing a clash with management over employee rights, the unions warned the strike would be "renewable until the settlement of the situation." The laboratory handles drug screening during the Tour de France, the run-up to which has been plagued by doping allegations. -Agence France Press

[fel]

Who knows how many days an athlete can participate in a competition
after he stops to take Eprex or others substances ?
If he stops and is in normal shape again ...why not ?
Why it will be consider doping ?

Fel

[SPR]

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/6984.0.html :cryin:

[Shickdawg]

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/6984.0.html :cryin:
:cryin: Please be a mistake, please be a mistake, please be a mistake....

I can't help but wonder if this wouldn't be nearly as devastating for U.S. interest in cycling than if Lance were to be found guilty of doping...

[syntaxjunkie]

It would indeed be tragic if it turns out that Tyler took anything "performance enhancing." I mean, this is a guy who seems to positively sweat credibility and monster work ethic from every pore.

That said, I can't forget that he's the same guy who gutted out a fourth-place finish in the Tour with a broken collarbone. That's a heroic performance, no matter what you're on.