Ok so everyone hates Disco for signing Basso. I can understand everyone's feelings on that. But don't you all think we need to wait for all the facts before writing him off. Think about this. How many times have you heard about a celebrity having someone say they're the father of their child. Very rarely turns out to be the case. Even if it does that's not the point. Pro cyclists have earned a sort of celebrity status never seen before in our sport. I think this kinda makes them easier targets for scandal. We all know public opinion can have a substantial effect in certain situations. Maybe certain organizations in our sport are as dirty as the riders. Did you ever think about that? I sure as hell don't watch cycling for the organizations, where's your loyalty? So when it come to Mr. Basso, sure I have my suspicions, but they're mine. And until all the facts are in, I say he's innocent. If your just going to write him off like that because you believe the media then you'll probably believe me when I tell you he hates Muslims. Think about it. He first raced for Fassa Bortolo and Italian team. Then CSC a Danish team. Now an American team... The Pope's speech, the Danish cartoon, our war in Iraq. Pretty freakin' ridiculous isn't it. Well, yeah it is. Just wait for the facts. For the record the above little tale was for illustrational purposes so don't post any political or anti-muslin banter on my blog. Just wait for the facts. And NO Basso doesn't hate Muslims. In fact I've never spoken to him so I wouldn't know.
Here it comes... BUUUUUTTTT... If he, just like any other rider, turns out to be a cheat, then I'll forget he ever existed as a professional rider.
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I think this is just a minor battle in the bigger war for control in proffesional cycling, i.e. UCI vs. the big Euro race promoters (ASO, RCS, and etc.). UCI has been pushing the ProTour and a corresponding "ethical code" and procedures for ProTour teams. Unfortunately, the UCI wants muck too much with tradition (e.g. shortening the Vuelta?!). The UCI claims that their due process for dealing with doping will work, but nobody else is buying it. The IPCT (i.e. an association of the major Euro based teams) clearly is aligning themselves against the UCI and with the Grand Tour organizers. They have stated that they want an "open" approach, which means they decide which teams get to race and which riders to exclude, regardless of WADA, any actual test results, etc. Instead, the Grand Tour organizers are just going to react to the whims of their sponsers, which means it's all about media perception and favoritism as far as who gets to ride.
So, for Basso the problem isn't so much that he's broken any ethics codes or rules (yet). Others have already pointed out the double standard that some other implicated Operation Puerto riders are on other teams. Rather, the problem is that Basso is joining Discovery, which is more cozy with the UCI than some these IPCT teams. I think there is an element of nationalism here too, i.e. Discovery is an American team. I think the French, Italian, and Spanish are trying to get back some of their lost stature after being spanked in recent years by American, German, and Kazakh riders.
I hear you brother.
You'd think they'd realize that if they push this nationalism too far that countries we start to have teams of just their countrymen. Then they'd really lose. Just think if we were forced to have an all american team with the talent we have. Then they'd really be ticked.
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