http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jun07/jun16news

Umm....wtf?!?!

He's being suspended for 24 months, the standard sentence. But they're subtracting time for when he wasn't allowed to race by CSC as a part of the protour teams voluntary ban on puerto athletes. So he'll have served his time by October of next year.

I'm assuming he still won't be able to race for a protour team or in a protour event for 4 years...so who really cares anyways, but geez this is a farce. I can see backdating it to when he 'confessed' or left Disco, but what the heck is the Italian sentencing group thinking?

Lastly, the UCI said they will appeal to CAS if the sentence is less than 2 years, so if/when that happens this will be irrelevant anyways.

He should have taken the DNA test just to be sure... his blood might be trashed by now.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jun07/jun16news

Umm....wtf?!?!

He's being suspended for 24 months, the standard sentence. But they're subtracting time for when he wasn't allowed to race by CSC as a part of the protour teams voluntary ban on puerto athletes. So he'll have served his time by October of next year.

I'm assuming he still won't be able to race for a protour team or in a protour event for 4 years...so who really cares anyways, but geez this is a farce. I can see backdating it to when he 'confessed' or left Disco, but what the heck is the Italian sentencing group thinking?

Lastly, the UCI said they will appeal to CAS if the sentence is less than 2 years, so if/when that happens this will be irrelevant anyways.

I think it's only fair that he received credit for the time he wasn't allowed to race with CSC. He was effectively suspended at the time, because he was not allowed to race. If the rules demand that he be put on hold for that time, he should get credit for it.

I don't think he can get hired by a ProTour team for another two years, but doped or not, he's a good rider. He'll have no problem finding employment with a non-Pro Tour team with his time is up.

Really? No one else thinks this is absolutely ridiculous?

The rules didn't demand anything, the protour teams decided to not allow puerto riders to race. His team effectively suspended him, which they are allowed to do, doping allegations or not.

What would you say if Gonchar gets nabbed under a doping investigation this winter? It should be backdated to when T-mobile suspended him this May? Even if he doesn't confess until next March?

This is really sad. :( Considering how both Ullrich and Armstrong managed to win the TdF, I think it is a shame that Basso now won't be able to get his name in the historybooks like those two. But that is cycling nowadays, it is a bit of russian roulette.

Who's next? Valverde? Vino? Could they get hold of Klöden? Some of the new and upcoming ones?

Valverde looks like he's up to his neck and Vino and Kloden both have history with Telekom - Vino finished his association with one of the disgraced Telekom doctors, um, yesterday...and that's without mentioning the missed test at the Vuelta but since the Spanish Federation is clearly as corrupt as they come it's no wonder he got away with that. Contador, Paulhino and Davis will get caught out too.

As for backdating Basso's suspension - how about adding on the 10 months that he lied and said he had nothing to do with OP? This decision makes the Italian Federation look as corrupt as the Spanish...

I just looked it up, and CSC actually suspended Basso. A suspension is a suspension. You should get credit for time served. If Gonchar was actually suspended by his team, he should get credit for that, too. Why wouldn't they?

I just looked it up, and CSC actually suspended Basso. A suspension is a suspension. You should get credit for time served. If Gonchar was actually suspended by his team, he should get credit for that, too. Why wouldn't they?

because its not a suspension but a govening body which are the onlys ones that matter. people who have gotten criedit for time served in teh past have stopped racing on their own Basso was not allowed to race by his team if they had let him race he would have. Add to that that as soon as he could switch teams he went right back to racing IMO he nullifed the time he was not racing before and it should start from the date that he stopped while on disco. If not why not just keep racing and ask for credit for the days between races I mean you weren't racing on the off days. BAsso deserves to face that same sentence that any other lesser rider would face which would be 2 years from the time he copped to cheating possiblly the day Disco dumped him. But back dateing to last season is pure BS.

because its not a suspension but a govening body which are the onlys ones that matter. people who have gotten criedit for time served in teh past have stopped racing on their own Basso was not allowed to race by his team if they had let him race he would have. Add to that that as soon as he could switch teams he went right back to racing IMO he nullifed the time he was not racing before and it should start from the date that he stopped while on disco. If not why not just keep racing and ask for credit for the days between races I mean you weren't racing on the off days. BAsso deserves to face that same sentence that any other lesser rider would face which would be 2 years from the time he copped to cheating possiblly the day Disco dumped him. But back dateing to last season is pure BS.

Because a suspension means not only are you not allowed to race, but you aren't getting paid, either. Nor can you take part in any team functions. That's very different from taking time off between races. Whether the team suspends you or the federation suspends you, it amounts to exactly the same thing.

I agree, I think he should get credit for the time CSC suspended him. He missed the TdF, which he was largely favored to win. That must've sucked for him.

Add to that that as soon as he could switch teams he went right back to racing IMO he nullifed the time he was not racing before and it should start from the date that he stopped while on disco.


that sounds about right to me. had he actually been suspended he wouldn't have been riding for disco. he wasn't, he was and as such that part of his "suspension" shouldn't count towards his actual "suspension".

that sounds about right to me. had he actually been suspended he wouldn't have been riding for disco. he wasn't, he was and as such that part of his "suspension" shouldn't count towards his actual "suspension".

Wrong. Pay attention to the order of events:

June 2006: Basso was suspended while on CSC <i>by CSC</i>.
18 Oct 2006: Basso asked out his contract and CSC set him free. Naturally, his CSC suspension also ended.
27 Oct 2006: Basso's OP case is shelved. He is free to race again.
9 Nov 2006: Disco hires Basso.

These are the facts.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/puerto_complete

I would say the suspension starts when the ruling body suspends him - today. This suspension has nothing to do with the Pro Tour Code of Ethics suspension from CSC. We'll see if the UCI takes it to the CAS.

18 months would put him in the Giro in 2009 for a Pro Continental team, right?

TF

I would say the suspension starts when the ruling body suspends him - today.

Well the precedent seems to be that the suspension is taken from when the rider stops rider (usually because the cops catch them or the A sample comes back non-negative). Basso is an odd case because he sorta suspended himself and then he went back to racing.

I also think it's hard to interpret the UCI's demand of the full two years. Are they trying to discourage other rider's from talking (which Basso only seems to have done to a limited extent) or are they pissed that Basso didn't cooperate fully?

BTW, it's interesting that there are supposedly 3 riders (Spanish?) fully cooperating with WADA (according to European press) concerning OP.

Wrong. Pay attention to the order of events:

June 2006: Basso was suspended while on CSC <i>by CSC</i>.
18 Oct 2006: Basso asked out his contract and CSC set him free. Naturally, his CSC suspension also ended.
27 Oct 2006: Basso's OP case is shelved. He is free to race again.
9 Nov 2006: Disco hires Basso.

These are the facts.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/puerto_complete

you're right, my mistake. I thought the 236 days included the time he was at disco. I don't think he should get credit for anything prior to may 15th though, if that even. certainly not the entire stack.

Well the precedent seems to be that the suspension is taken from when the rider stops rider (usually because the cops catch them or the A sample comes back non-negative). Basso is an odd case because he sorta suspended himself and then he went back to racing.

I also think it's hard to interpret the UCI's demand of the full two years. Are they trying to discourage other rider's from talking (which Basso only seems to have done to a limited extent) or are they pissed that Basso didn't cooperate fully?

BTW, it's interesting that there are supposedly 3 riders (Spanish?) fully cooperating with WADA (according to European press) concerning OP.


This is only for "Attempted doping".

He should have said it was for cloning - that Fuentes was going to clone him.

Because a suspension means not only are you not allowed to race, but you aren't getting paid, either. Nor can you take part in any team functions.
That may be true now, but it certainly wasn't true for David Millar who was signed and rode (but didn't race) for Saunier Duval before his suspension ended.

And why is everyone so worked up that Basso may be able to do all those critical races between Oct. and March?

What are they again?

That may be true now, but it certainly wasn't true for David Millar who was signed and rode (but didn't race) for Saunier Duval before his suspension ended.

And why is everyone so worked up that Basso may be able to do all those critical races between Oct. and March?

What are they again?
March? It should be the end of April/Early May when he resigned from Discovery. Just because he hadn't raced since March, he could have up until his leaving the team.

I'd like to see him banned until right up before the Giro, so he won't likely have the racing miles in to compete for it...

Basically the decision allows him to race all the '08 calender. Ok so if it was 2 years he would technically be available to ride the '08 Tour de France but with a few weeks competitive preparation??!! He gets an extra year of career this way.

I agree with Silas. This decision sucks. The authorities need to be tougher, and not limp wristed like this.

Wow, what a surprise, I'm in shock....NOT! And the wheel goes round and round, round and round, round and round...

Basically the decision allows him to race all the '08 calender.

He can't race until October 24, 2008, so it's going to be tough to race all the '08 calender.

He can't race until October 24, 2008, so it's going to be tough to race all the '08 calender.

Yeah you are right. I mean '09!:p

Well, cyclingnews reports that the UCI is happy with the suspension and it won't be appealed. See you in two years Ivan! (note: for the purposes of this discussion "two years" will be defined as a period of time lasting one year and four months)

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jun07/jun18news2

I think the decision sucks too. They should back date the suspension far enough that he can race the 2007 Tour and give the other dopers like Valverde, Vino and Kloden some competition.

Anyone who thinks Saiz was spending 60K euros on doping products (in just one trip no less) for the LS riders and not giving them to Vino is delusional.

The Tour will be interesting to see if the failures of the Astana leaders to date are due to planned loss of blood or due to loss of nerve with the heat closing in.

The Tour will be interesting to see if the failures of the Astana leaders to date are due to planned loss of blood or due to loss of nerve with the heat closing in.

Not that i don't think Astana is the team most likely to still be taking a lot of risks but it seems to me the failure of the Astana leadership so far has been due to riding a post-2001 Armstrongesque approach to Tour. That is they have tested themselves on certain stages but otherwise rode within themselves. It remains to be seen whether Kloden will take a similar approach to the TdS or not.

Basso has Tinkoff written all over him.

Basso has Tinkoff written all over him.
Tinkoff is aiming for ProTour status by 2009. If they succeed that would mean no Basso under the current rules.

Tinkoff is aiming for ProTour status by 2009. If they succeed that would mean no Basso under the current rules.

Yeah, that would shoot my idea in the arse. If not for that little detail, it seemed like it would be a match made in heaven.

I doubt Tinkoff is interested in Basso. I don't think he wants anything to do with dopers anymore.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jun07/jun20news

...the Russian has had a change of heart, telling Cyclingnews last week: "I don't want to see Hondo, Jaksche and Tyler anymore in my team. That is it."

..."It is a management decision," explained Tinkov. "I don't want to see Hamilton, Jaksche, [Danilo] Hondo, or any guys with doping issues mentioned next to my name. However, the management sometimes does its own stuff. I was surprised to see Jaksche racing. According to the UCI contract we can't fire him."

Really? No one else thinks this is absolutely ridiculous?

I will tell you why I don't think it is ridiculous. Because the sport is in such a state of disrepair, that the exact date Basso can race again is no where near as important as the UCI showing a sense of alliance to the teams. The only way for doping to stop is for the teams to take a major role in policing themselves.

By the UCI respecting CSC suspension of Basso, they are signaling that this anti-doping is a collective effort, and a responsibility of both teams and the organizing bodies. I think this is a good thing.

Do you mean a collective LACK of effort?

What is impressive about taking a star rider who lied about his drug usage for a year, then half ass admitted it, and giving him the lightest sentence possible?

Showing solidarity with CSC (run by an admitted doper) is a new low for the UCI, not a high point.

You have good points- I just see the importance of the organizing bodies working with the Teams to be much more important in turning the sport around then the actual amount of time a rider is suspended.

This is quite evident with thier October suspension release date. With the 18 month suspension, Basso will miss all the major races of '09, yet still be ready to race in '10. With a 24 month suspension, he would miss all the major races of '09, yet still be ready to race in '10.

There is no difference from Basso's standpoint, yet the organizing bodies still gets to show that the teams have to work with them to make the sport clean.