Ken Finch
Sorry Judy, but unless you're privy to more information than seems to be be available on the usual cycling news sites, you're jumping the gun to the point that it borders on being highly inappropriate. If you do have other information, please share so as we can put your viewpoints in context. Otherwise...hold your tongue.
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Subject It's not over...Date 02/05/2009 01:44 PMFrom Judy Richardson DMS01
If you haven't heard already, 21 year old Belgian cyclist Frederiek Nolf died in his sleep in the midst of the T of Qatar. Cause of death has not been determined, however, the conditions echo eerily of deaths by EPO circa 2003.
If proven dope is to blame for this untimely death, it will underscore a duty we have as cyclists and fans to not "assume" that the trend towards transparency in testing has "fixed the problem". It's time again to act.
American cycling team physicians have agreed to be accountable for the safety and health of our riders. We're meeting in one week to discuss it more. But it's time again, now, for all of us to band together. We, the fans and
CONSUMERS, need to hold team management responsible, and the team physician accountable. (He should he fired and stripped of any license he holds, and black-balled from the profession. I don't care if he "didn't know" they guy was doping - Team docs know. They know when their guys sleep,
when they eat and when and how much they piss.) And if they don't they should.
We cheer and buy the stuff from the sponsors so they want to support these teams. Patronizing these companies that tacitly condone doping by rewarding riders who win at all costs, then blame them when their crimes become public is unconscionable. Refusing to hold management responsible reverts sport to the days of angry mobs screaming for blood at the gladiatorial games. We have a duty to boycott the products and services of companies who sponsor
teams who are not transparent with their testing practices, or management that does not take responsibility for the care and conditions of their riders. Hit them where it hurts, or we will keep reading about riders like Fred.
Judy Richardson, MD
Am. Assoc. Cycling Team Doctors
and Sorella Forte