I admit it, today I am sick of the truth. That does not mean we should not hear it. With the USADA report now published all cycling fans worst suspicions have been confirmed. t am surprised that I am shocked but I am. Not by the scale of the doping, we had already got wind of that. No, it is the details. The spirit crushing cynicism of it all. Old and should be wiser heads pressuring the young to join in, within a sport where riders believed (even if it turns out not to be true) that Lance Armstong and his kind could buy the UCI. As Lance famously once said 'Its not about the bike.' No Lance it wasn't.
US Postal and Lance weren't the only ones at it of course, it just seems they were the best.
I resent the way that Armstrong used his charitable work as a human shield against the truth. Used his lawyers to batter those with a suspicion and used his influence to end careers of those who displeased him. The bare faced lying. The presence of a culture so rotten it could take hugely talented, brave young athletes and well turn them into what they have become.
If this bit of truth is to have a long term value it needs to be the start of a genuine top to bottom truth and reconciliation process. Not just the athletes and coaches, but the those who run the sport.
Tonight I have an image in my mind of somebody busy re-editing Tour De France DVD's to find shots of some guy who finished in the top 20 and is now the winner. Hey, good news for the French, Moncoutie won after all! Hurrah
No comments:
Post a Comment