{"id":1381,"date":"2012-12-20T05:51:24","date_gmt":"2012-12-20T05:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/crankpunk.com\/?p=1381"},"modified":"2023-11-20T17:25:25","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T17:25:25","slug":"is-cycling-unfairly-singled-out-for-doping-tygart-says-no","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2012\/12\/20\/is-cycling-unfairly-singled-out-for-doping-tygart-says-no\/","title":{"rendered":"is cycling unfairly singled out for doping? Tygart says no"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Somebody said the mob left Vegas and it took over US Postal Pro Cycling team. That’s how they operate. The evidence supports it. Our notice letter used terms like ‘enforcer’ and ‘omerta’ and ‘code of silence’. They are powerful and strong and serious words. But the evidence that supports that is serious too. If anything it was an understatement.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Travis<\/a>
Travis Tygart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

Travis Tygart’s a driven man. credited with being the guy who finally stood up to Lance Armstrong and the UCI, you might think he’d be reveling in the attention and basking in the accolades offered up to him by true cycling fans, the ordinary men and women who had been waiting for years for somebody to lift the lid on the cesspool that pro cycling was allowed to become – but no. in truth, hoping that LA would ever own up to his past was a long shot, but still there’s no disguising the disappointment he feels about Armstrong passing up the opportunity to come clean.<\/p>\n

“Remember, we gave him an opportunity to come in and be truthful. That was probably the lowest point for me, because I really thought the change for sport and the legacy of this effort could have been huge, far bigger if he had embraced being a solution rather than an ongoing problem.<\/em><\/p>\n

“I just know the power of an athlete in that predicament. We had 11 athletes come forward and their stories are what has allowed this to happen and they’re very powerful.<\/em><\/p>\n

“To be the one, with the reach and the appeal he has, could have taken it to a whole new level as far as the good that could come from it is concerned. It would be as big as we’ve ever seen in terms of promoting the integrity and the values of sport.”<\/em><\/p>\n

but then Armstrong’s idea of exactly what constitutes the ‘integrity and values’ of this particular sport are not those that Tygart refers to. LA proved that for him, adhering to the Omerta defined a rider’s integrity, and that winning by any means necessary – even if it meant cheating on a systematic and institutionalised level that saw several people’s careers ruined and their sanity questioned – was the only thing with any real value. worryingly, the international federation designated to lead the sport appears to have silently approved of Armstrong and his gang – what else are we to assume when the unwritten but overt policy was to look the other way and ask no questions?<\/p>\n

\"Screen<\/a><\/p>\n

if it helps to put into perspective the effect that Tygart’s investigation has had, note that he has had received three ‘credible’ death threats that have been taken seriously by the local police. we’re talking here about sport, something that seems, at the end of the day and in light of tragedy and natural disasters, essentially trivial, but that has come to bring massive wealth, fame and power to the athletes involved. Tygart spoke of Marion Jones hiring her own private detectives to follow the USADA officials who were investigating the BALCO case, sent out to intimidate the men and women uncovering the scandal who were steadily getting closer to bringing Jones down. in many ways, Tygart and his team appear to be more like the FBI agents who worked to bring down mobsters like Al Capone back in the 30s and 40s.<\/p>\n

Speaking of the methods of intimidation used by these athletes, Tygart says:<\/p>\n

“There are PR operatives who are paid a lot of money to set it up like that. Their MO, forever, has been to find whoever the individual is \u2013 whether it’s a witness coming forward or a federal agent doing their job or whether it’s us doing our job \u2013 and make it a personal attack. We’ve seen it in other high-profile cases. That’s why we’re here. We want to take that anger, that venom. We’re here to take the heat for clean athletes. We should be the safe harbour.”<\/em><\/p>\n

that USADA has had to take this stance is atrocious – this ‘safe harbor’ is exactly what the UCI should be, the first line of defense against doping for young riders brought into a highly pressurised and competitive sport. presented with the facts however, the UCI has at best been sluggish in its response to the developments over the past few months and is still dragging its feet, refusing to embrace change or to offer up any real solutions for the future of the sport. instead, the sport sits drifting rudderless on a sea of despair, with the chief characters huddled together and intent on protecting their own interests.<\/p>\n

how exactly can McQuaid survive as the president of the UCI?<\/p>\n

“The answers need to be determined,<\/em>” says Tygart. “How in the world does this happen on someone’s watch and that person not feel any sense of responsibility about it? That’s an obvious question that should be pursued.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\"BigMac\"<\/a>
BigMac<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\n<\/em>for those who say that cycling is being unfairly vilified as a sport and that others are just as bad but not as deeply investigated – which sounds dangerously apologistic – Tygart had this to say:<\/p>\n

“I’ve heard that and I’ve heard UCI say it quite a bit and it’s just excuses. It’s time for bold action for a clean sport. There might be some short-term negative publicity but it will be for the long-term sustainability of the sport. There is no logical reason not to do it.”<\/em><\/p>\n

those who say that LA won fairly because all the others he raced against were also doping are also missing the point, says Tygart:<\/p>\n

“If it’s a justification that it’s OK, they’re pros, they all do it anyway \u2013 then the question becomes, for mums and dads out there, at what age are you willing to inject a steroid or other performance-enhancing drug into your child because that’s what it takes to get to the next level. Eventually, that next level is going to be the 10-year-old soccer team, the junior high team.”<\/em><\/p>\n

is there anyone still out there who will argue that LA did more good for the sport than harm? maybe for the bike business that could be proven to be true, but it is not even a remotely valid nor coherent argument when it comes to the health and integrity of the values at the core of this sport – and indeed all sport. LA was not the only gunslinger in town but he certainly was the biggest, and his fall was absolutely necessary if the sport of cycling has any chance of surviving as anything more than a farce.<\/p>\n

all i can say is this – thank f**k for Travis Tygart…<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Somebody said the mob left Vegas and it took over US Postal Pro Cycling team. That’s how they operate. The evidence supports it. Our notice letter used terms like ‘enforcer’ and ‘omerta’ and ‘code of silence’. They are powerful and strong and serious words. But the evidence that supports that is serious too. If anything it was an understatement.”<\/p>","protected":false},"author":40955418,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","wpupg_custom_link":[],"wpupg_custom_link_behaviour":[],"wpupg_custom_link_nofollow":[],"wpupg_custom_image":[],"wpupg_custom_image_id":[],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119818829,119006944],"tags":[300604,105302,335799,814023,35224851,1822686],"class_list":["post-1381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dopepunk","category-lancecrank","tag-balco","tag-lance-armstrong","tag-marion-jones","tag-pat-mcquaid","tag-travis-tygart","tag-usada"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2OfoS-mh","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":311,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2012\/10\/23\/2012-sports-personality-of-the-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":1381,"position":0},"title":"2012 Sports Personality of the Year","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"10\u6708 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"crankpunk is proud to announce its winner of the inaugural CrankPunk Sports Personality of the Year Award! it goes to a man whose endeavor to battle on in the face of adversity should serve as a shining example to all us athletes. the sheer willpower that it must have taken\u2026","rel":"","context":"dopepunk","block_context":{"text":"dopepunk","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/dopepunk\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/th8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2156,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/05\/24\/the-uci-an-independent-commission-and-a-bright-future\/","url_meta":{"origin":1381,"position":1},"title":"the UCI, an independent commission, and a ‘bright future’","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"5\u6708 24, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"up for today's tongue lashing is the UCWhy. crankpunk likes a little treat before bed with his coco but unfortunately there will be none for some time - possibly months - because the UCI has taken all the biscuits! the crafty cookie-snafflers! first of all we had the venerable prez\u2026","rel":"","context":"dopepunk","block_context":{"text":"dopepunk","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/dopepunk\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"images","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/images.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":631,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2012\/11\/07\/david-george-you-suck\/","url_meta":{"origin":1381,"position":2},"title":"david george, chumpion","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"11\u6708 7, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"you know the guy (ok neither did i), he was on LA's team in the '99-2000 season with US Dopal Postal, where he really learnt to suck it up - EPO from the vial, that is. in day-old news (one thing crankpunk can promise is that absolutely nothing you find\u2026","rel":"","context":"dopepunk","block_context":{"text":"dopepunk","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/dopepunk\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/th-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1434,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/01\/08\/benedetto-roberto-a-sane-voice-in-a-mad-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":1381,"position":3},"title":"Benedetto Roberti: a sane voice in a mad world","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"1\u6708 8, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"start the engines, we need to get Travis Tygart and the Italian prosecutor Benedetto Roberti installed as joint-heads of the UCI. this is the guy who's working on evidence against Michelle Ferrari, aka Doctor Dope. and, well, i'll just let him speak: \"The UCI should take away Bjarne Riis' licence,\u2026","rel":"","context":"dopepunk","block_context":{"text":"dopepunk","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/dopepunk\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Benedetto Roberti","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/th.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3184,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/12\/03\/tell-me-lies-lance-sweet-little-lies\/","url_meta":{"origin":1381,"position":4},"title":"tell me lies, Lance, sweet little lies","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"12\u6708 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"By Betsy Andreu As long as Lance is on his reconciliation tour, I think it's only appropriate the tour should\u00a0have\u00a0its own\u00a0theme song. I'm thinking of Fleetwood Mac's \"Tell me Lies\". Maybe not sweet little lies or just \"one big lie\" but a continuation of lies. In a desperate attempt to\u2026","rel":"","context":"Betsy Andreu's writing","block_context":{"text":"Betsy Andreu's writing","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/betsy-andreus-writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"this guy needs no introduction","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/lance-armstrong1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/lance-armstrong1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/lance-armstrong1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3366,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/12\/13\/good-riddance-to-2013\/","url_meta":{"origin":1381,"position":5},"title":"good riddance to 2013","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"12\u6708 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by cp. this article originally appeared in The Roar Reason to hope? Or back to being dopes? 2013 may still be with us but like a wheezing great-uncle on his last legs, bedded down in the far-corner of the infirmary, its life, inevitably, is fading faster almost than Lance Armstrong\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"4\u4ef6\u306e\u30b3\u30e1\u30f3\u30c8\u4ed8\u304d","block_context":{"text":"4\u4ef6\u306e\u30b3\u30e1\u30f3\u30c8\u4ed8\u304d","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/12\/13\/good-riddance-to-2013\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/red-number-0.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/red-number-0.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/red-number-0.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/red-number-0.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/red-number-0.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Lee Rodgers","author_link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/author\/crankpunk\/"},"rttpg_comment":2,"rttpg_category":"dopepunk<\/a> lancecrank<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"“Somebody said the mob left Vegas and it took over US Postal Pro Cycling team. That’s how they operate. The evidence supports it. Our notice letter used terms like ‘enforcer’ and ‘omerta’ and ‘code of silence’. They are powerful and strong and serious words. But the evidence that supports that is serious too. If anything…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40955418"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1381"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1381\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16900,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1381\/revisions\/16900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}