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Date: 07 May 2007 21:48:45
From: Tom Grosman
Subject: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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The reason doping continues to go on despite everyone collectively agreeing
that it (or at least the scandals associated with it ) are greatly damaging
the sport is because on an indivual level those who dope have no incentive
to come clean about past doping activities unless they are caught, and in
fact have every incentive not to. Without an incentive to come clean, they
also have no incentive to give it up, especially the winners who dope, since
it may be or they may feel it is necessary for their success. And as long as
a non-trivial percentage of winners dope, doping will continue to be seen as
being needed to win, and will be widespread within the peloton. The whole
peloton has to reform at once, but each individual has to make that choice
for himself.
The best and most foolproof way to find people who are doping is is to get
them to confess to it. With that in mind, I propose a complete amnesty for
all past doping offenses as of Dec 31 2007. You get to keep riding, you get
to keep your trophys, you don't get sued by anybody BUT you have to give a
complete and detailed confession.
If you don't confess and it later comes out that you were doping before Dec
31 2007, you are banned for life from professional racing AND are open to
all legal penalties. If you are someone who confessed and you are found to
be doping again after Dec 31 2007, you get a stiffer sanction than someone
who had never doped (between double penalty and banned for life.)
With all the investigations, retroactive testing using newly invented tests,
tell-all books, people ratting each other out to save their skins, those
that are doping must be living in a continual fear that their number will
come up. In addition, I doubt that athletes WANT to dope, but they feel that
they HAVE to dope. Giving them a chance to turn the page and to do it as
part of the entire peloton, rather than just one person under the press's
microscope with only negative rewards for doing so may be the carrot and
stick necessary to finally put a significant bite into cycling's doping.
-Tom
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Date: 09 May 2007 20:53:39
From: trg
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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Basso's "confession" goes to illustrate my point. As long as the penalties
for confessing are much greater than the advantages, it would be absolutely
stupid to think Basso would risk his Giro victory, GT podiums, and open
himself up to financial and legal liability by admitting to something that
can't be proven. Where's the incentive? To help clean up cycling? If he was
really concerned about doping in cycling he wouldn't have doped in the first
place.
BTW, The fact that Basso's idol was Claudio Chiappucci should have been a
clue.
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Date: 08 May 2007 17:39:08
From: Bill C
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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On May 8, 8:32 pm, Michael Press <rub...@pacbell.net > wrote:
>
> Yes. I have been going about this all wrong.
> That is why I am dedicating myself to
> The Childrens Crusade For Better Chemistry.
>
> --
> Michael Press
You're going to take up coaching Jr. High football in the south?
Bill C
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Date: 09 May 2007 00:44:29
From: RonSonic
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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On 8 May 2007 17:39:08 -0700, Bill C <tritonrider@verizon.net > wrote:
>On May 8, 8:32 pm, Michael Press <rub...@pacbell.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> Yes. I have been going about this all wrong.
>> That is why I am dedicating myself to
>> The Childrens Crusade For Better Chemistry.
>>
>> --
>> Michael Press
>
>You're going to take up coaching Jr. High football in the south?
Ohio. We had guys doing steroids up there back in the early 70s.
Ron
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Date: 07 May 2007 22:56:19
From: bjw@mambo.ucolick.org
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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On May 7, 12:48 pm, "Tom Grosman" <gros...@aonix.fr > wrote:
> The reason doping continues to go on despite everyone collectively agreeing
> that it (or at least the scandals associated with it ) are greatly damaging
> the sport is because on an indivual level those who dope have no incentive
> to come clean about past doping activities unless they are caught, and in
> fact have every incentive not to. Without an incentive to come clean, they
> also have no incentive to give it up, especially the winners who dope, since
> it may be or they may feel it is necessary for their success. And as long as
> a non-trivial percentage of winners dope, doping will continue to be seen as
> being needed to win, and will be widespread within the peloton. The whole
> peloton has to reform at once, but each individual has to make that choice
> for himself.
Dumbass,
The reason doping continues to go on is because on an
individual level, the people who benefit from doping are
the winning directeur sportifs and team sponsors, and they
have no incentive to give it up as long as they don't get
caught, and they never get caught because they aren't
actually doping. The worst that can happen to the DSes
is that their teams fall apart and they lose their jobs, but
they can usually get new jobs eventually because lots of
people know that that is how the game is played.
Increasing the punishment of the riders does nothing.
They can always find more riders. Punishing the team
sponsors doesn't help much because who would sign
on as a sponsor if you could be punished. The problem
persists because of the climate of uncertainty (asymmetrical
information, no one knows what anyone else is using) and
the culture of DSes, coaches, doctors, and hangers-on
that support it.
Ben
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Date: 08 May 2007 11:51:19
From: Dan Connelly
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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bjw@mambo.ucolick.org wrote:
> The problem
> persists because of the climate of uncertainty (asymmetrical
> information, no one knows what anyone else is using) and
> the culture of DSes, coaches, doctors, and hangers-on
> that support it.
Fuentes charged quite a lot for his services (€41,000 to Basso in 2004, according to CyclingNews), and his cyclists, at least those whom have been publicly identified, have been generally quite successful (only well-paid athletes can afford these fees, so there is a degree of circularity, but still). This suggests only a substantial minority have their Fuentes program. Perhaps doping is far more pervasive, but obviously doping a la Fuentes is a strong competitive advantage, not a ticket to play the game.
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Date: 07 May 2007 22:50:18
From:
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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On May 7, 12:48 pm, "Tom Grosman" <gros...@aonix.fr > wrote:
> The reason doping continues to go on despite everyone collectively agreeing
> that it (or at least the scandals associated with it ) are greatly damaging
> the sport is because on an indivual level those who dope have no incentive
> to come clean about past doping activities unless they are caught, and in
> fact have every incentive not to. Without an incentive to come clean, they
> also have no incentive to give it up, especially the winners who dope, since
> it may be or they may feel it is necessary for their success. And as long as
> a non-trivial percentage of winners dope, doping will continue to be seen as
> being needed to win, and will be widespread within the peloton. The whole
> peloton has to reform at once, but each individual has to make that choice
> for himself.
>
> The best and most foolproof way to find people who are doping is is to get
> them to confess to it. With that in mind, I propose a complete amnesty for
> all past doping offenses as of Dec 31 2007. You get to keep riding, you get
> to keep your trophys, you don't get sued by anybody BUT you have to give a
> complete and detailed confession.
>
> If you don't confess and it later comes out that you were doping before Dec
> 31 2007, you are banned for life from professional racing AND are open to
> all legal penalties. If you are someone who confessed and you are found to
> be doping again after Dec 31 2007, you get a stiffer sanction than someone
> who had never doped (between double penalty and banned for life.)
>
> With all the investigations, retroactive testing using newly invented tests,
> tell-all books, people ratting each other out to save their skins, those
> that are doping must be living in a continual fear that their number will
> come up. In addition, I doubt that athletes WANT to dope, but they feel that
> they HAVE to dope. Giving them a chance to turn the page and to do it as
> part of the entire peloton, rather than just one person under the press's
> microscope with only negative rewards for doing so may be the carrot and
> stick necessary to finally put a significant bite into cycling's doping.
>
> -Tom
With that swiftian title, I thought you were going to recommend
feeding the offenders to the starving Irish; but the EU inspectors
probably would find them unfit for consumption by humans or livestock.
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Date: 07 May 2007 18:13:11
From: Michael Press
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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In article <463f829f$0$32042$426a74cc@news.free.fr >,
"Tom Grosman" <grosman@aonix.fr > wrote:
> The reason doping continues to go on despite everyone collectively agreeing
> that it (or at least the scandals associated with it ) are greatly damaging
> the sport is because on an indivual level those who dope have no incentive
> to come clean about past doping activities unless they are caught, and in
> fact have every incentive not to. Without an incentive to come clean, they
> also have no incentive to give it up, especially the winners who dope, since
> it may be or they may feel it is necessary for their success. And as long as
> a non-trivial percentage of winners dope, doping will continue to be seen as
> being needed to win, and will be widespread within the peloton. The whole
> peloton has to reform at once, but each individual has to make that choice
> for himself.
>
> The best and most foolproof way to find people who are doping is is to get
> them to confess to it. With that in mind, I propose a complete amnesty for
> all past doping offenses as of Dec 31 2007. You get to keep riding, you get
> to keep your trophys, you don't get sued by anybody BUT you have to give a
> complete and detailed confession.
>
> If you don't confess and it later comes out that you were doping before Dec
> 31 2007, you are banned for life from professional racing AND are open to
> all legal penalties. If you are someone who confessed and you are found to
> be doping again after Dec 31 2007, you get a stiffer sanction than someone
> who had never doped (between double penalty and banned for life.)
>
> With all the investigations, retroactive testing using newly invented tests,
> tell-all books, people ratting each other out to save their skins, those
> that are doping must be living in a continual fear that their number will
> come up. In addition, I doubt that athletes WANT to dope, but they feel that
> they HAVE to dope. Giving them a chance to turn the page and to do it as
> part of the entire peloton, rather than just one person under the press's
> microscope with only negative rewards for doing so may be the carrot and
> stick necessary to finally put a significant bite into cycling's doping.
What do you get up to when nobody is watching? I offer you amnesty,
and I promise not to make fun of you.
It's like July. Doping stories bring out the witless mob.
--
Michael Press
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Date: 08 May 2007 17:08:52
From: Tom Grosman
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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"Michael Press" <rubrum@pacbell.net > a écrit dans le message de news:
rubrum-E88913.18131107052007@newsclstr03.news.prodigy.net...
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Date: 08 May 2007 10:06:43
From: Donald Munro
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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Michael Press wrote:
> It's like July. Doping stories bring out the witless mob.
If quantities of people being exposed to LIVEDRUNK(tm) advertising is a
indicator of rbr success then doping stories are good for rbr. Ergo rbr
should sponsor doping. How about Fuentes Gynecology Clinic presented by
LIVEDRUNK/RBR or perhaps that isn't catchy enough.
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Date: 09 May 2007 00:32:44
From: Michael Press
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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In article <46402fe7$0$20103$ec3e2dad@news.usenetmonster.com >,
Donald Munro <fat-dumbass@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Michael Press wrote:
> > It's like July. Doping stories bring out the witless mob.
>
> If quantities of people being exposed to LIVEDRUNK(tm) advertising is a
> indicator of rbr success then doping stories are good for rbr. Ergo rbr
> should sponsor doping. How about Fuentes Gynecology Clinic presented by
> LIVEDRUNK/RBR or perhaps that isn't catchy enough.
Yes. I have been going about this all wrong.
That is why I am dedicating myself to
The Childrens Crusade For Better Chemistry.
--
Michael Press
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Date: 07 May 2007 18:39:37
From: Andy B.
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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"Tom Grosman" <grosman@aonix.fr > wrote in message
news:463f829f$0$32042$426a74cc@news.free.fr...
> The best and most foolproof way to find people who are doping is is to get
> them to confess to it.
> If you don't confess and it later comes out that you were doping before
> Dec
> 31 2007, you are banned for life from professional racing AND are open to
> all legal penalties.
Bad idea. After Dec 31.2007 you have even more reason to deny and hide.
What you really want is something like a 3 year ban if you're caught and
decrease it if you confess and continue to decrease the ban the more of your
buddies you turn in such that if you turn in enough people, it's like only a
6month ban or something. Of course you'd have to not leak A test results
(which aparently is not possible) and allow the rider to continue to race
while under investigation to catch more flys in the web. Think Rico - no one
dopes alone.
-Andy B.
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Date: 08 May 2007 00:53:59
From: Tom Grosman
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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"Andy B." <wattact@hotmail.com > a écrit dans le message de news:
9Z-dnTieRrs1N6LbnZ2dnUVZ_s-rnZ2d@comcast.com...
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Date: 07 May 2007 21:05:37
From: Antti Salonen
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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Tom Grosman <grosman@aonix.fr > wrote:
> And as long as
> a non-trivial percentage of winners dope, doping will continue to be seen as
> being needed to win, and will be widespread within the peloton. The whole
> peloton has to reform at once, but each individual has to make that choice
> for himself.
And the question is, who's going to start? These people are making their
living in the sport, and as usual, better work performance tends to mean
better pay. Bad performance can mean losing your job, which is a bit
tough after working hard for years to have it in the first place.
Assumptions:
1) The dope is available.
2) The dope works.
3) The dope can be used without being caught.
4) Sponsors want results from their teams, and thus the teams from their
riders.
As long as all four are true, as I believe is the case, I have a hard
time believing widespread doping could ever dissappear from professional
cycling. The current anti-doping strategy seems to be making assumption
3 untrue, but it seems like a futile race which is damaging to everybody
involved.
I'm sure this is also the case in many other professional sports. And
some of them have perhaps made a wise choice not carrying out testing at
all.
Antti
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Date: 07 May 2007 13:37:51
From: Leo, from Europe
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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On May 7, 10:53 pm, "Leo, from Europe" <leop...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> On May 7, 10:48 pm, "Tom Grosman" <gros...@aonix.fr> wrote:
Sorry for the short answer, Google Groups had blocked me because I'm a
spammer. A more complete answer:
> > The best and most foolproof way to find people who are doping is is to get
> > them to confess to it. With that in mind, I propose a complete amnesty for
> > all past doping offenses as of Dec 31 2007. You get to keep riding, you get
> > to keep your trophys, you don't get sued by anybody BUT you have to give a
> > complete and detailed confession.
They have too much at stake to do that. Their reputation is more
important than their trophies. Will the team sponsors still pay their
salaries (well, some examples say yes: Millar, Virenque,...). Plus,
they fear that if they speak, all the other riders will turn their
back on them. See Manzano, Simeoni.
> > 31 2007, you are banned for life from professional racing AND are open to
They are workers and as such they have rights. Some have already
appelled a doping ban on the grounds that they have the right to do
their job. I guess civil courts won't easily permit life bans.
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Date: 08 May 2007 00:11:47
From: Tom Grosman
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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"Leo, from Europe" <leopejo@hotmail.com > a écrit dans le message de news:
1178570271.497476.254810@e65g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
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Date: 07 May 2007 13:12:29
From: Leo, from Europe
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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On May 7, 11:01 pm, paolo <psenat...@gmail.com > wrote:
> They're cheating to make more money, or worse, a name for themselves.
They are cheating because that's the system.
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Date: 07 May 2007 13:01:05
From: paolo
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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On May 7, 12:53 pm, "Leo, from Europe" <leop...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> On May 7, 10:48 pm, "Tom Grosman" <gros...@aonix.fr> wrote:
>
> > The best and most foolproof way to find people who are doping is is to get
> > them to confess to it. With that in mind, I propose a complete amnesty for
> > all past doping offenses as of Dec 31 2007. You get to keep riding, you get
> > to keep your trophys, you don't get sued by anybody BUT you have to give a
> > complete and detailed confession.
>
> Won't work.
>
> > 31 2007, you are banned for life from professional racing AND are open to
>
> Won't work either.
Ban them, fine them and humiliate them. There's no excuse for what
they've done and how much they've damanged the sport. There are so
many hardworking and honest people in this sport who's livelyhood has
been permanently damaged by simply bad and avoidable decision making.
They're cheating to make more money, or worse, a name for themselves.
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Date: 07 May 2007 23:22:51
From: Tom Grosman
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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"paolo" <psenatori@gmail.com > a écrit dans le message de news:
1178568065.427346.181170@u30g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
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Date: 07 May 2007 12:53:06
From: Leo, from Europe
Subject: Re: Dealing with doping- A modest proposal
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On May 7, 10:48 pm, "Tom Grosman" <gros...@aonix.fr > wrote:
> The best and most foolproof way to find people who are doping is is to get
> them to confess to it. With that in mind, I propose a complete amnesty for
> all past doping offenses as of Dec 31 2007. You get to keep riding, you get
> to keep your trophys, you don't get sued by anybody BUT you have to give a
> complete and detailed confession.
Won't work.
> 31 2007, you are banned for life from professional racing AND are open to
Won't work either.
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