Biological Passport Round 2 about to start?

by Monty. on Dec 6, 2009 5:25 PM EST

French site Cyclismag have an interesting little story on their web-page today about the next possible round of bio-passport positives. Apparently the Council Of The Nine (and doesn't that sound like something out of Lord of the Rings) have been meeting this weekend to study the next batch of dodgy dossiers. There is unlikely to be a press release coming out soon, since they must first of all agree unanimously that there is something suspicious about a particular rider, and then that rider is given a chance to rebut the accusations. According to Cyclismag, the five suspended last year (Astarloa, Lobato, Caucchioli, Serrano and De Bonis) were picked out as possible dopers at a similar meeting last January, but their names weren't released publically until June (the things some to to get an advantage in VDS - I bet none of them picked Caucchioli).

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“Apparently the Council Of The Nine (and doesn’t that sound like something out of Lord of the Rings) have been meeting this weekend to study the next batch of dodgy dossiers.”
Here’s a pic from the meeting.

Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.

by TheFigurehead on Dec 6, 2009 5:32 PM EST reply actions

ROFL

Genius.

by Ed K on Dec 6, 2009 8:11 PM EST up reply actions

Do they study the batches

as anonymous samples?

Hopefully yes …. given the subjective side to the analysis

Moo

by Willj on Dec 6, 2009 5:46 PM EST reply actions

WTF!?

“Here’s a guy who seems to be spiking wildly in preparation for the ToCali in February. That can’t be? Nobody does that. Plus , there is Rogaine in his samples? Who is this guy?”

by Jens on Dec 7, 2009 2:09 AM EST up reply actions

true, I shouldn't ask these sort of questions with my real name

;)

Moo

by Willj on Dec 7, 2009 5:19 AM EST up reply actions

Might go more quickly this time

Now that TAS has ruled on the Pechstein case – suspension on abnormal values – the UCI may act faster than it did last year. I had the sense that the UCI was hesitating over the legal side of this issue last year and only announced the profile cases under pressure prior to the Tour. The TAS decision certainly strengthens the UCI’s hand on these cases and might lead to more determined action.

by Jen See on Dec 7, 2009 12:23 PM EST reply actions

Sounds about right

though predicting speediness when it comes to doping cases seems to be a bit of a mug’s game, alas.

by civetta on Dec 7, 2009 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

I googled pechstein

and she seems like she has a few roos loose in the top paddock. I mean, she had won 5 gold medals, 2 silver and 2 bronze by the 2006 winter olympics. That year she turned 34. She had a job as a police officer. I assume she had been doping her whole career, but she could have retired in glory, and never had to answer any pesky questions about East Germans and sporting ethics. And then, when they say they will start looking for abnormal blood values, so they can finally detect autologous blood doping, she decides to do it, at 37 years of age, instead of retiring gracefully and transitioning to full time police work.

And now she’s lost it all! Her reputation as Germany’s greatest winter olympian is ruined, and she might even lose her job as a cop. For what? A couple of extra years in the sport? When so many people are getting caught? It just seems like a stupid risk.

Like you’ve won $50,000 at a casino, but you decide to gamble it all for a possible extra $5,000. What’s the point?

But I guess the mindset of a doper is ‘I won’t get caught. Others might, but they are stupid. I am a smart doper. I have gotten away with it my whole career. They can’t catch me. Oh shit, they did. ~~At least I’m housebroken~~’

by LurkerMcLurkerson on Dec 8, 2009 4:47 AM EST up reply actions

actually I just googled her name to check a fact and found this new article

and this article has just come up.

Basically, the Swiss Supreme Court has said she is now allowed to compete in an upcoming meet in Salt Lake City that is an Olympic Qualifier. The ruling only applies to that meet. If she qualifies for Vancouver, they (I don’t know who they is- the Skating Federation? the CAS? the SSC? WADA?) will make a decision about her eligibility.

I’m not sure why the Swiss SC has jurisdiction over a German skater racing in America trying to go to Canada, perhaps the Skating federation is based there or something. Actually, maybe she appealed there from the CAS? they are based in Switzerland.

Those Swiss, so damn neutral.

She’s arguing that the science used to condemn her is not yet proven, that there’s a reason her blood was so immature during the World Championships, but (I’m inferring) this wasn’t a ruling on the science, just one of procedural fairness, to ensure she doesn’t win an appeal before the olympics but miss them because she wasn’t allowed to qualify.

So the UCI might hold back on those cyclists who they think are blood doping, until her case gets sorted out.

by LurkerMcLurkerson on Dec 8, 2009 5:00 AM EST up reply actions

The Swiss court

has jurisdiction over decisions made by the Sports Arbitration Court, because it sits in Switzerland. Hmm, I believe I will see if I can find more about this thing, as it could be quite important.

by Jen See on Dec 8, 2009 12:16 PM EST up reply actions

The court ruled the five-times Olympic gold medallist should be allowed to attempt to qualify for the Games pending a final decision on her appeal. But her participation ultimately rests with the final ruling of the court before the Vancouver Winter Olympics starting in February.

link

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 Dec 8, 2009 12:42 PM EST up reply actions