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A lifetime of letters on the lifetime ban, plus props to Tina

Published: Nov. 11, 2008
Pic at this year's Mount Hood Classic.
Pic at this year's Mount Hood Classic.
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

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Female cyclist of the year nomination
Editor,

Year after year Tina Pic wins races without the recognition that she deserves.

Give it up for Tina.
Eddie Winkler,
Lenoir, North Carolina

The Haywood Judgment

From your recent article:

USA Cycling executive director Steve Johnson declined to comment on the award when contacted by VeloNews.

“We won’t have anything to say about that until we fully consider our post-trial options,” said Johnson, suggesting that the governing body is prepared to file an appeal over the amount of the award. "

My response — GIVE ME A BREAK — once again USA Cycling just doesn't understand when to close it mouth. Just pay up — you screwed up and now have to pay — be thankful that Sue did not file for punitive damages as she would have likely won a big fat award — Please tell me how much
walking into the Olympic opening ceremonies is worth? I would guess over a million ...

USA Slying (on purpose as they are always trying to be sly) should be ashamed of themselves!

Oh yeah — I am excited that my dues will now go towards paying for their gross incompetence!
Jeff Kellogg,
Massachusetts

Clear Channel redemption?
Editor,

From a cyclist's perspective, one of the more interesting and hopeful developments in green progressivism is the explosion of bicycle sharing programs in cities around Europe and the world, with pilot programs even coming to the US, as this recent New York Times reports.

As the Times reports, one of the key business elements in many of these programs is that outdoor advertising agencies are contracted to manage them, in exchange for the advertising rights to the facilities and/or equipment. One of those agencies, currently managing 13 European city programs and a pilot program in Washington, D.C., is none other than Clear Channel Outdoors, which is 90 percent owned by Clear Channel Communications, the largest talk radio company in the U.S.

Now, if my recollection serves me, there have been a number of complaints in recent years against Clear Channel talk radio hosts alleging incendiary and even violent comments against bicyclists on American roads, some of which have been reported on VeloNews.com. This prompts the question: is Clear Channel seeking redemption, or simply serving up a bowl full of irony?
Apollo Anderson
Summit, New Jersey

Sella's punishment
Editor,

This latest story about CONI supporting a reduced sentence for Emanuele Sella because he "admitted" the use of EPO after testing positive is absolutely ridiculous.  It was only a few short weeks ago that the Italian riders association was looking for lifetime bans for those who cheated and then today, their governing body says,do it, admit it and you get off easy?
 
How  about an international, global penalty system that does not allow for the local bodies to determine penalty with no exceptions or excuses! First offense, three years, second offense a lifetime ban from cycling and no statute of limitations. And if you retire during your suspension, no involvement whatsoever in cycling forever 
John Sokolowski,
Long Branch, New Jersey

Editor's Note: Thanks for the letter, John. It may be worth noting that the Italian riders' association letter called for shorter punishments for dopers who admit and cooperate.

More on lifetime bans
Editor,

Editor:

I read this comment in your October 31 Mailbag:

"... How much of a consolation is it for the three guys who moved up one slot on the podium in Paris a year after Floyd Landis was stripped of his title (assuming for the moment he doped) ..."

Personally I'd only support lifetime bans if there was an objective third party monitoring the current anti-doping system for fairness and accuracy.  In particular I'd like to see samples from non-athletes or known clean/dirty samples added to the mix to ensure innocent people aren't being "caught" as dopers.  It would be even better if this third party organization held "B" samples and had them tested by a different lab than the one that screens the "A" samples.

From a layman's perspective there is a troubling lack of accountability and redundancy in the current anti-doping system.  If we don't fully trust the results of the current system it seems crazy to implement lifetime bans until we fix the confidence gap.
Vik Banerjee,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

More on the ban
Editor,

When I started reading the October 31st letter on lifetime bans, I initially assumed the writer was trying to be sarcastic. After all, pedophiles are not legally restricted from being around children, alcoholics are not legally restricted from beer and abusive fans return to sporting events week after week.
 
I believe the previous letter writer had it right. A first time offense should be met with an appropriate penalty, such as two years. Repeat offenses can be met with higher penalties. If the penalty for a second offense is a lifetime ban, that may be appropriate. But a first time offense leading to a lifetime ban? Would that include someone who didn't document their TUE correctly for Rogaine, Sudafed or cortisone cream for their saddle sore? How about a lifetime ban for anyone who rides so well they just have to be doping? Then we know we caught them all for sure!
 
Lifetime bans and quick convictions sure make good news and sound great as a policy, but the implementation can be challenging and rife with errors. The doping issue needs to be dealt with. Still, we need to be reasonable, or we will ruin this wonderful sport.
Steve Miller,
Scotts Valley, California

More on the lifetime ban
Editor,

As we’re only a couple of days from a rather momentous election day, it seems that the reactionary, pseudo-fascist bent of several letters calling for doping offenders to be handed lifetime bans smacks of the same teeth-gritting desperation seen from the (wrong side of the) campaign. The vision of pro cycling as pure and clean as a newborn chick is a myth, unattainable.

Pure, clean cycling has never existed, just as utopian neighborhoods of white, middle-class Christians with children named Wally and Beaver have never existed. Study your history. The sport polices itself, with varying results, as best as it can.

The issue is complex, just as human psychology (and physiology) is complex. Human beings cannot be divided neatly into categories of sinner and saint, with the saints’ job to weed out the sinners and pitch them into a dark dungeon. As a longtime fan of cycling, going back to Jock Boyer (definitely not a saint), I get fed up, too. But no draconian punishment schemes will help.

Clean cyclists will be banned for life and cheaters will slip through, just as (in society as a whole) innocent men and women have been gassed, injected, and electrocuted in the name of justice while the real perps roam free.

Follow the money. As sponsors, TV networks, and entire nations (Germany) bail on the sport, it will sink in that the rewards are not there for dipping into the medicine chest. But “The Game”, with it’s ebbs and flows, will go on. Deal with it.
Jerry Eliason,
Cleveland, Ohio

Longtime Recovery
Editor,

Bob Mionske talked about the long road to recovery. If anyone wants an inside look at what that entails, check out this site, where an injured cyclist has been chronicling his journey down that long road.

We need to work to help keep cyclists safe. They're our roads, too.
Ralph Benedetto,
Goldsboro, North Carolina