Mainstream Media Re-Education

The Operación Puerto doping case highlighted how much of a tarnished image our wonderful sport actually has. Spanish Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and a number of accomplices were accused of administering prohibited doping products to over two hundred professional athletes to enhance their performance.  While among the two hundred named clients of Dr Fuentes included many named Pro cyclists,  other stars from at least four other mainstream sports also sought out Fuentes to cheat their way to better performance – but it was only cyclists who were named, sanctioned and shamed. Newspaper editors seem only to want to report on stories about cycling destroying itself.

On 5 July 2006, Fuentes himself lashed out that only cyclists had been named and stated he had also worked with tennis and football players. In December 2006  documents came to light of Fuentes detailing “seasonal preparation plans” for the major Spanish football clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Yesterday, was an example of  the problem of PED’s in other sports (which again the media seem to largely ignore) Soccer star, Fiorentina’s forward Adrian Mutu has been told he ‘might‘  receive a one-year ban for failing TWO drugs tests in January. Wrist slapping is not a deterrent.

Cycling has a terrible image among sports, save for weightlifting, we are all looked upon with suspicion. Much of it is the sports own fault, with the repetitive nature of the riders caught cheating. Cycling is at least trying to fix it’s own mess – it is the very reason for Bike Pure’s existence. Cycling is at the forefront of the battle against the cheats.

The mainstream media seem to prefer to focus on the cheats in our wonderful sport and ignore cheating in other sports. Just today, twice Russian cross-country skiing champion Liliya Stepanova has received a two-year doping ban for manipulating a drug test: Media interest : ZERO

Cycling has an uphill battle to improve not only our sport, but it’s image to the rest of the world. We have lead the way in drug use in the past, now WE hope cycling can make a path to true clean competition, for all other sports to walk.