Lifetime ban for Ivan Stevic?

by australopithecine on Nov 4, 2008 11:37 AM EST Comment 14 comments

link

The link is the statement from CONI. I ran into this over at cycling fans anonymous. Was I under a rock or did this not come up anywhere else. He won a bunch of races in the US over the last few years after totally busting onto the scene from nowhere. I guess now we know where nowhere is and why he came to hide in the US.

If I recall correctly he was awarded the Nature Valley Grand Prix title after Nathan Oneill was busted eating diet pills. I use that to illustrate that perhaps at race's end no one moves up a spot for fear of the unknown. Again, using my powers of recollection, Toyota United also technically won the NRC team comp last year if Healthnet would have lost the points garnered by Oneill. Let positions stand and remove monies from parties found guilty.

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Racing in Italy

He is banned for life from racing in Italy, yes.

I recall seeing a few headlines along the way as this cranked through the Italian process. He’s among a stack of people receiving sanctions in relation to Oil for Drugs.

I haven’t seen any English coverage, though, before CFA.

by gavia on Nov 4, 2008 11:55 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

Seems useless to ban a rider from racing in a country where he does not race.

by australopithecine on Nov 4, 2008 12:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes and no

He was an amateur there, when the offense occurred, and CONI is going on record here with the evidence and charges, which include among other things, a refrigerator full of dope. That’s all public record. Whether WADA wants to act on it, is another matter altogether. They could, if they chose. Even if he keeps his license, a strict anti-doping team might think twice about hiring a rider who has a conviction like this on his record.

Nice work from CONI, in my view.

by gavia on Nov 4, 2008 12:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think there’s someone on the CSC forum keeping a tally of the Oil for Drugs score. Last I saw it was at 70+.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Nov 4, 2008 1:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We get all your Basketball junkies over here

I guess we just have to find some way of paying you back.

And as for the lack of publicity, well one of the big complaints after Floyd’s case was over how much news leaked out. Is this way of doing things better?

And the Italian junior (but over 18) and amateur races have massive problems with doping. That’s one reason why Squinzi (the Mapei boss) took Cancellara and Ballan into the pros at a very early age, just so they wouldn’t associate with all the dodginess. As fmk says, 70+ so far and you’d only maybe recognise three or four of the names.

by Monty. on Nov 4, 2008 1:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

70+ so far and you’d only maybe recognise three or four of the names

I know Chris is painting Torri as a sort-of Torquemada de nos jours but you do have to wonder if the strike rate in Puerto might have at least crept into double digits if the Spanish had been as serious about it as the Italians have been with Oil for Drugs.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Nov 4, 2008 5:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No doubt

It’s also a bit misleading to say that Torri is totally driving this thing – there’s a criminal investigation with it.

by gavia on Nov 4, 2008 6:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not disagreeing with you on that gav, Torri is just part of a system comprised of many different arms. Overall though, it’s clear the Italians are getting pretty serious in recent years. A lot done, a lot still to do no doubt, but congrats for what’s been achieved so far.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Nov 4, 2008 6:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yep

LOL, my comment didn’t really follow from yours very well. Eh, somedaze are like that :-)

I’m glad to see the Italians working on it, fo’ sure.

by gavia on Nov 4, 2008 6:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

One Correction

Stevic won the 2007 Nature Valley Grand Prix – but not on a technicality. Nathan O’Neill’s positive test came at the Elk Grove Classic in August.

by Chief Commissaire on Nov 6, 2008 9:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The Elk Grove "classic". Now that's funny. :-)

But yes, the positve was there. Meatball was 2nd so I guess now the winner of that one.

"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."

by nikki on Nov 6, 2008 9:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I Wondered After I Posted...

…how many people would pick up on my mistake.

Officially, it was the “Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove.” About the closest thing we’ve had to a classic in the U.S. was John Eustice’s US Open Cycling Championships about a year ago this past April.

by Chief Commissaire on Nov 10, 2008 3:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I like Elk Grove as the riders

are pretty relaxed and fun to go talk to but even “tour of” makes me giggle. They get to see about 15 blocks of it. Still happy they are close enough to go see though so I won’t complain. Just giggle. :-) Downers is even closer but the jersey on the line adds some stress to the riders.

"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."

by nikki on Nov 10, 2008 10:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Due Process?

If Stevic wasn’t at the hotel when the raid happened, in a room he shared with other racers, how do we know to whom the doping products belonged?
CONI could find Stevic easily here at his team in the US, why no contact?
He competed in the World Championships ferchrissakes,the UCI didn’t make a fuss then? That doesn’t sound like them at all.
These processes put a rider through the meat grinder usually; lots of press leaks, interminable waits for judgment etc. Why was this one so subterranean?

by MavicMoto on Nov 7, 2008 11:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs