News has just broken that LADA have banned Frankie for one year, backdated to the date of the offence, so he's out until the 14th July, which means that he won't be able to ride in the Tour this year.
In a way, I'm happy that LADA have given him a ban - although I do think 6 months, backdated, would have been the correct level of punishment - as this way, the UCI won't feel compelled to step in and throw their weight around, as they did in the Contador affair.
And we just know that if LADA had dished out a small fine, the UCI would have jumped in with both feet, and it would have dragged on for ages.
Also bearing in mind the Lance thing, I rather think that all the anti-doping agencies are keen to be seen to be doing "their part" in punishing anyone connected to doping: although I do think that Frankie hadn't doped, in that sense, and I am willing to believe that it's an accidental ingestion.
As it is, *sigh* Frankie is banned, and if Andy goes to the Tour, he goes without Frankie.
What do we think about that? Would Andy rather not go to the Tour this year? Will he be back on form by then? Will he even want to go, without Frankie, without Jakob: at least he still has Jensie this year, *huffs with relief* but if his confidence is shaken by last season's injury, perhaps he won't want to risk going to the Tour?
So many questions....
Do we already know the reason of the ban? Keep us informed Coug!
ReplyDeleteRegarding Andy going to the Tour, I'm quite confident about his presence and about a better shape. Without Frankie, without Jakob. Even without Jensie and Fabu. We mustn't forget that he's a professional bike racer, not a guy going on a trip with a group of friends. RSLT have a bunch of good riders Andy had the time to get on with, so there should't be relational problems between them.
Andy's an adult. He has learnt a lot from last year's experience and I'm sure he won't lose another year just for having to go there alone. If he does good, he'll make his brother so proud of him, which I think is the only consolation from his ban.
Surprisingly serious,
Alice
Here's the reasoned decision (in French): http://www.alad.lu/upload/SDE3GBNAWSDE/downloads/GJMMDWDODGPK/TMWYHXVIAYCT.pdf
ReplyDeleteI hope both Frankie and the UCI/WADA accept this ban. This way, both the UCI and the WADA don't need to appeal to make a statement, after all it wasn't a banned substance, it was a suspicious substance.
And Fränk is already a little over half way through his ban by now, so for him and everyone around him the countdown to July 14 can begin.
Without any doubt, Andy will miss him during the Tour and all the other races. But he did perfectly fine during the 2010 Tour (mostly) without Fränk, and now he can indeed make his big brother proud.
For Andy, I hope he will soon find his confidence on the bike back. And then I hope a full recovery and a good shape follow quickly.
Inge
I'm sorry to hear this but am not surprised because the burden of proof was on Frank to explain how and why the substance was present in his body. I sincerely hope that this marks the end of this chapter; turn the page, Frankie, and come out ready and strong in August. - Kat
ReplyDeleteFrankie, are you there? We're all sorry to hear that you've been given a ban, but we all think that you should accept it, and move on.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that all of us think that a year is a bit harsh, when Zabriskie, Leipheimer, Hincapie etc were only given 6 months for REAL doping: a 6-month ban for Frankie would have been - well, I can't say "fair", but at least it would have been acceptable, particularly as it would have been backdated.
A year seems too harsh.
But, as we are all saying, at least a year's ban is likely to be accepted by UCI/WADA etc, and if Frankie can also accept it, then everyone can move on.
And Frankie can win la Vuelta!
I'm not entirely sure about RadioLeopard having a bunch of good riders, Alice: a couple of them - Kloden, Horner - are already implicated in the Armstrong thing, and are likely to be pulled out of the team as the investigations progress. But we will see.
Most teams seem to be sending their Tour Down Under set to the Quatar and Oman races, so hopefully we'll see Andy in action again soon: I do wish RadioLeopard would put up their teams a bit earlier!
Inge, many thanks for the link to the reasoned decision, blimey, it does go on a bit, doesn't it? *laugh* I don't have time to read it all now (off to work in half an hour) but the gist of it seems to be that they believe him (no polygraph required), ban him for 12 months, allow him to keep all his Tour individual wins up to the date of the finding, pay costs of about 3500 euros, and basically they are saying they believe that it was something in a supplement, but that it is Frankie's responsibility to check for it, even though it may not have been on the label.
If anyone has had time to read the whole thing, and can precis it for us, please do so!
I don't think Frankie is going to like this, but I hope that he will accept it.
Coug
Proud of all my sensible Schlecklanders
The reasoned decision basically comes down to your conclusion, Coug. If my French doesn't fail me, it also says that Maxime Monfort was heard as a witness and he stated that Fränk never acted strange and that he's never seen Fränk do forbidden things during the Tour.
ReplyDeleteIt also says that there were normal variations in his biological passport and no signs of use of EPO, testosterone, steroids or a blood transfusion.
The consulted specialist also states that the use of diuretics during an event as the Tour could be life threatening.
The theory of a contaminated water bottle is ruled out as Fränk stated he never used a water bottle other than one of his own team. (he did not take one from a spectator)
And I'm not sure about this one, but if I understood it correctly, he did not have one of the pills left he used during the Tour, to have it tested on contamidation.
When an athelete is banned for doping abuse, he/she has to pay a fine of 70% of its annual income, but an official request to the UCI has been sent to clear Fränk from this, unless he receives a 2 year ban.
And ALAD states that they think it's highly unlikely that Fränk doped on purpose.
I managed to read the reasoned decision until half way through, then I got tired. It just keeps on going, and going, and going...
I am actually quite surprised about how many private details there are in the report: his adress, annual income... All none of our business I'd say.
And here's a video of Frank at the press conference, stating that he wants to thank his family and his fans for their support and believing in him during the past period. "I think that a one year ban is too much, because I stick to it, I have never used doping."
http://nos.nl/video/468781-nogmaals-geen-doping-gebruikt.html
In the end, I wanted to give him a big hug, he looks devastated..
Inge
Hi Inge,
ReplyDeleteMany, many thanks for reading more of the reasoned decision for us: it certainly does go on and on, doesn't it! I, too, had read the part about Maxime giving a statement that Frankie had not done anything devious: he also stated that Frankie was tired all through the Tour. Poor Frankie. But well done to Maxime for supporting him.
I can't open the video, possibly it is geographically-restricted: we get this a lot in the UK, that many of the sporting streams are not accessible from a UK-based IP address. But from what you said, it sounds as though - fingers crossed - Frankie is going to accept the ban, while continuing to state clearly that he had never doped.
This is a huge relief to me, as I didn't want to see Frankie insist on an appeal, and risk dragging the case out for months and months.
I think we should all send him a big hug.
*BIG HUG sent to Frankie from all the Schlecklanders*
I agree with Frankie, a one-year ban is too much, 6 months would have been sufficient, in my opinion: but I am thankful that the case is now over, and that Frankie is, I think, going to accept the decision.
Still nothing about it on the RadioLeopard website...
Coug