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Five cyclists cleared
The five cyclists named by banned cyclist Mark French have been cleared for
selection in the Athens Olympic Games team. But there is behind-the-scenes debate about the ethics of one cyclist that could still be the subject of further scrutiny. Late last night the five cyclists were officially cleared by the latest investigation, headed by the former WA Supreme Court judge Robert Anderson, QC, who delivered a 380-page report after a week of intense questioning of Australian Institute of Sport cyclists and officials. Mr Anderson was specifically looking at the claims by French that five other cyclists, Sean Eadie, Shane Kelly, Graeme Brown, Brett Lancaster and Jobie Dajka, had injected what French believed were supplements in his institute room, No. 121. But it is believed that while legally the cyclists have been cleared, there is confusion about whether all their nominations will be accepted by Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates. Coates has said he would need the cyclists to be "suitable persons" to represent Australia, and that the onus was on the athletes to clear their names before he would ratify their nominations for the Athens Olympics. Coates cancelled a news conference that had been scheduled for today, and could not be reached for comment last night. But it is believed that in a round-table discussion at the Australian Sports Commission board room in Canberra, the lawyers for the AOC, Cycling Australia, and the Australian Sports Commission were happy that the five cyclists were technically able to compete in Athens. All were included a 25-strong team for the Games nominated by the board of Cycling Australia two hours earlier, before the Anderson report was handed down. Sources say that some parts of the Anderson report raise more questions about the culture of the cycling program at the institute. Mr Anderson had spent more than half an hour explaining the contents of his report before leaving the lawyers to debate what to do. Mr Anderson has been at pains to avoid impinging on the criminal investigation that is under way by the SA police into the distribution of the animal poison, equine growth hormone. Thirteen vials of the hormone were found in room 121, which was occupied by French last December. This week SA police raided the home of cyclist and veterinarian John Katakasi, who is friendly with many of the institute cyclists. Mr Anderson was careful not to touch on this area with the cyclists, as his inquiry had only a civilian status without any privilege and he did not want to affect police activities. Cycling Australia's Olympic team was announced on the provision that the selections may "also be contingent on the outcome of the Anderson inquiry and any appeals lodged against non-nomination". Late night night there was a phone hook-up of Cycling Australia board members, and the Australian Sports Commission was also considering its legal position. Mr Anderson has a second part of his inquiry to complete by October, that of investigating the processes that were undertaken by the French case. |
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Five cyclists cleared
Originally posted by Marty Wallace The five cyclists named by banned
cyclist Mark French have been cleared for selection in the Athens Olympic Games team. I guess that's a good thing... ? But there is behind-the-scenes debate about the ethics of one cyclist that could still be the subject of further scrutiny. Leaving an element of doubt over whether aussie riders are clean or not isn't such a good idea. Any victories and rivals will simply claim "doping!". Mr Anderson has been at pains to avoid impinging on the criminal investigation that is under way by the SA police into the distribution of the animal poison, equine growth hormone. "animal poison"??? hippy -- |
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Five cyclists cleared
hippy wrote:
Originally posted by Marty Wallace The five cyclists named by banned cyclist Mark French have been cleared for selection in the Athens Olympic Games team. I guess that's a good thing... ? hippy Leaves young Mr. French looking a bit silly. Was he using an "If I go down, all you guys are going down with me!!!" approach, like the best James Bond villains? All the hoo-hah won't have won him any friends. He might be short of a training partner or two in the coming months. And if EgH is as ineffective for humans as someone has told me, why the heck did he have it anyway? The risk without any benefit? He used to come into the shop I worked in a few years ago, and was darn sure what he wanted you to do for him, or his bike, right now, because he was Mark French. Had to have the best bike in the shop, the lightest wheels, the matching bar tape - not strictly necessary when you're 15. But not a bad lad, all in all. Perhaps he just wanted success quickly, like he wanted his wheel trued quickly, or his gears adjusted quickly, or his single stuck down yesterday (shellac takes time to dry), because he had more important places to go and people to see than some old bike shop he got stuff off for nearly nothing. Then he dumped us and went off to somewhere else which had shinier toys, quicker. Perhaps that's what it is with racers. They are always chasing that indefinable something round the next corner, hoping that if they ride fast enough, they'll catch it. Perhaps they should just sit down once in a while, before they're forced to, and look around. Look at all the people and places around you they've been ignoring (or abusing) for so long in a singleminded quest to get over the next metre of pavement quicker than their rivals. You can't live life by taking shortcuts and expect not to miss bits, or get lost. As "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" has it, "...the cycle you are working on is yourself". The best thing about the TdF is the scenery, which few of the riders have time to see. M"sorry about the brain fart"H -- |
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