Month: February 2012

UCI to rule on Team Saxo Bank’s future

Can UCI throw team out of World Tour races? Is this a collective punishment?
Riis

The PCC took note that further to the CAS decision earlier this week concerning Alberto Contador, the UCI will today ask its Licence Commission to issue a ruling on whether the Saxo Bank-Sungard team should retain its place in the UCI WorldTour. If the points obtained by Alberto Contador, representing approximately 68% of the Saxo Bank-Sungard team’s total points, are disregarded, his team would no longer be considered to fulfil the sporting criterion required for the UCI WorldTour.

That’s the UCI in a press release today. They got the team’s name wrong, it is Saxo Bank only but that is the least of Bjarne Riis’s worries right now as the future of his cycling team is at stake. Alberto Contador has been banned, he loses the 2010 Tour de France and all results from January 2011 onwards but on top of this he forfeits the points and prizes too.

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In praise of the CAS (and why the Ullrich case took years)

The Court for Arbitration in Sport has had a busy week. Monday saw it ruling on Alberto Contador, the UCI and Alexander Kolobnev were there on Tuesday and yesterday we got the verdict on Jan Ullrich.

Many fans have expressed anger or frustration with the news this week but a quick note to say don’t blame the CAS.

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New UCI doping penalty under threat

If Alberto Contador has problems today he’s going to find it hard to look forward to the future. In a press conference on Tuesday, Saxo Bank team owner Bjarne Riis said he would “support” Contador… but added the Spaniard’s contract was now void. Reading between the lines, Contador won’t get paid during his ban but Riis hopes to employ him again the moment the ban ends.

His employment woes aren’t just about getting a monthly salary or finding a team. Upon his return he will find a new UCI rule blocks him from earning crucial ranking points for his squad. This matters because his points haul made the difference between Saxo Bank being in the Pro Tour for 2012 and being in the lesser Pro Conti level.

But this new UCI ruling could well fall foul of WADA and the CAS.

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French TV upsets Spain

After all the talk of statistics, probability and law, here’s something quite different courtesy of French TV show Les Guignols. Fast forward to 3m35s for the relevant bit in the clip above (Flash Player needed).

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The view from Spain

I’m a big supporter of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Its moves to internationalise, harmonise and scrutinise the anti-doping component of sports is surely one of the greatest advances in fair-play in recent years.

Only in Spain many have a very different view today. Here’s an explanation as to why more than just the Pyrenees separate Spain from others in Europe.

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Contador Verdict: Two Year Ban

Contador-

The Court of Arbitration in Sport has delivered its verdict on Alberto Contador. He is suspended for two years with the ban starting on 25 January 2011.

His results in the 2010 Tour de France win are erased and all results obtained since 25 January 2011, including the Giro d’Italia are removed too. Comment and analysis below.

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Monday shorts

A few observations and thoughts from the weekend. With just a few hours to go before the CAS-Contador verdict there’s just time to squeeze these in.

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Lance Armstrong vs Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong has been cleared as the federal investigation into doping and financial irregularities was dropped. An announcement was quietly put out late on Friday.

During a lengthy investigation spanning 20 months, investigators failed to find a single reason to prosecute the seven time Tour de France winner. Grand jury testimony against Armstrong came from embittered former colleagues with proven records of doping and deceit.

The end of the investigation will prove humiliating to federal investigator Jeff Novitzky who hounded Armstrong and recently failed in his bid to prosecute baseball player Barry Bonds.

The move to stop the investigation puts an end to the legal persecution endured by Armstrong. The famous cancer survivor can now resume his role as a charity fundraiser. Cycling fans can now draw a line under the past.

 Lance Armstrong is facing fresh questions over his past as the federal investigation into doping and financial irregularities was dropped. An announcement was quietly put out late on Friday.

During a lengthy investigation spanning 20 months, investigators built a substantial dossier against the seven time Tour de France winner. Grand jury testimony against Armstrong mainly came from some of his closest former team mates who decided to speak out.

The end of the investigation could give the last laugh to federal investigator Jeff Novitzky who built the case against Armstrong and was responsible for exposing the doping of baseball player Barry Bonds.

The move to stop the investigation does not mark the end of Armstrong’s problems. The embattled cyclist will now find the US Anti-Doping Agency investigating him. Cycling fans will continue argue over his past achievements.

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Saturday shorts

A few short items with Armstrong, the Contador verdict, sprinters in Qatar and a possible new big stage race in Colombia

Impossible not to mention Lance Armstrong today, if only because my twitter timeline is bursting with comment. In case you’ve missed it, the US authorities have dropped the investigation into doping and potential federal crimes relating to the use of sponsorship monies.

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Correction

In the piece on Thursday entitled “One UCI official, two jets and three yachts” I mistakenly featured a Boeing 737 aircraft registered in the name of Itera Holdings, it seems planespotters have confused Itera with Intera and almost every image of the Boeing has it registered with Igor Makarov’s business. However this is incorrect and the Boeing 737 instead belongs to a Czech billionaire financier called Petr Kellner. Sorry.

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