As always Jim has an incisive forensic analysis:
The 4 Corners show last night added some further facts of which I was aware but not fully across the detail.
1) Failed Cortisone test for the 1999 Prologue subsequently put aside
because of a backdated Dr’s prescription for ointment for saddle sores. All
observed by the Team masseur
2) The identification of EPO in 2000 in a retrospective test for the 1999
TDF. They explained last night the full back ground to this test. The French Lab
worked for some 6 years to develop an EPO test. As part of their research they
then retested some samples from the 1999 TDF. The samples were only identified
by codes so they were oblivious of who the rider was. It was then a journo for
LEqippe who asked ASO for the paperwork for Armstrong’s drug tests for the 1999
TDF. That paperwork included the codes for the samples taken. The Journo then
matched these to the codes on the positive tests done by Lab and presto up comes
Armstrong’s name.
3) Michael Ashenden was interviewed in the show but I guess the complexity
of what he would have said was edited away and in the end what they put to air
did make the same impact as the written pieces he has contributed. For instance
they used a grab saying “we don’t have a test for Blood Doping”. However in his
written pieces particularly earlier in the year when he explained the evidence
against Contador he was able to identify clear examples of blood anomalies which
could only be explained by Blood Doping and micro dosing of EPO. Similarly his
research identified blood anomalies in Armstrong's samples.
4) Armstrong provided cash contributions to UCI which he claimed was to
help them in the fight against drugs. As Dick Pound former WADA boss pointed out
this hopelessly comprises UCI. How can they accept significant funding from
someone they are supposed to police.
5) The comments by Betsy Andrieu about being beside the hospital bed and
hearing Lance advise the Doctor of all the dope he on were supported by a tape
recording obtained by Greg LeMond. He rang one of the other parties who was also
at the beside (a publicity women working for Oakley) to check if she would
support the comments in an upcoming trial. She said she would. 4 Corners then
comments that it was made clear to her by Oakley that if she brought the company
into disrepute she would be out of a job. She subsequently denied under oath
that the Armstrong had said anything at the Hospital bed. Then when the Lamond
tape surfaced her testimony was disregarded due to the inconsistency.
The evidence is there and anyone who says it is just people with an axe to
grind are ignoring the facts. The medical evidence shows it the corroborating
testimony shows it.
Interestingly Phil Ligget was on the 4 Corners show but he seemed to be
backing away from saying it was witch hunt (yes they found the witch) to a more
nuanced view of saying that if he had done what is claimed then he finds it hard
to understand how he can look people in the eye.
Well maybe the fame gravy train is bigger than Phil thinks.
It is not a matter of saying that everyone was doing it so lets move on.
Armstrong destroyed people along the way whilst perpetuating a lie. Greg LeMond
is an outstanding champion. the TDFs he won represent an incredible achievement.
He had a successful Bike brand (Anthony is the proud owner of a LeMond Bike) but
Armstrong pressured Trek to cut him loose which they subsequently did. Then
there are the poor buggers who were not on the juice but competed anyway but
rarely winning. Can you imagine how that would feel going to work and knowing
you have one hand tied behind your back before you even start. Hopefully some of
the riders in that category were Australian.
What it tells us is a whole generation of cyclists have been let down
abandoned by the Administrators. Following the Festina revelations the UCI could
have been much more aggressive in cleaning up the sport but chose to turn a
blind eye. I suspect the continuing prevalence of this attitude is at the heart
of Michael Ashenden’s recent resignation for the Expert Panel over a
confidentiality issue. He at least knows where the skeletons are buried.
No animals were killed in the writing of this piece. However if I have
offended anyone then please accept this an apology in advance.
Rgds Jim
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