Cycling agrees to amnesty for doping confessions
LONDON (AP) - Cyclists will be offered a chance to confess to past doping offenses without fear of retribution in an attempt to uncover the full scale of the Lance Armstrong scandal and drug use in the sport.
The UCI agreed Friday to introduce a "truth and reconciliation" commission with the World Anti-Doping Agency, cutting out the independent panel established to investigate the governing body's links to Armstrong.
UCI President Pat McQuaid said he wants to ensure cycling has "drawn a line in the sand finally - and for the last time" on doping scandals that have tarnished the credibility of the sport.
Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from Olympic sports following a report by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that portrayed him as a longtime user of performance-enhancing drugs.
After years of denials, Armstrong admitted to doping in an interview last week with Oprah Winfrey.
"The truth and reconciliation process is the best way that we can examine the culture of doping in cycling in the past, and can clear the air so that cycling can move forward," McQuaid said after a stormy hearing by the panel investigating his body.
The UCI's reputation has been badly damaged by accusations its leaders covered up suspicious doping tests given by Armstrong during his 1999-2005 run of Tour de France victories and improperly accepted donations from him totaling $125,000.
The independent commission formed to establish the veracity of those claims clashed at Friday's hearing with the UCI's lawyer over two key demands it has made - broaden the investigation into Armstrong's role as the ringleader of an elaborate doping scheme on the U.S. Postal Service team and begin an amnesty program of its own to ensure witnesses come forward.
The UCI rebuffed their proposals by insisting it would be too costly to fund wide-scale investigations, and the three-person panel will meet again on Thursday to discuss whether to proceed.
And McQuaid said since the independent commission was established, "several of our stakeholders have said they won't take part in it. Not just USADA and WADA but others, national federations."
The UCI said it would update the independent panel on the talks planned this weekend with WADA President John Fahey about the amnesty commission.
McQuaid first revealed he was considering such an amnesty program to The Associated Press in September, but said Friday the plans were only finalized in recent days.
"WADA have indicated that they would share costs with the UCI," McQuaid said. "The WADA code is being reviewed and an amnesty is under discussion within that review. But we're just bringing that aspect forward."
But British judge Philip Otton, who heads the independent panel, accused the UCI of trying to use the delay in the truth and reconciliation process as "an excuse to kick the USADA allegations into the long grass."
Now the UCI is effectively asking the panel it established to suspend itself. It had been scheduled to hold full hearings in April and report by June.
UCI lawyer Ian Mill said the "entire process has been derailed" because the panel is demanding a "truth and reconciliation" process of its own and a widening of its role into the wider doping scandal.
"Getting to the bottom and determining how the USPS team operated without detection or sanction in a reasonable timescale ... causes us considerable anxiety," Mill said.
"We can do something which we understand you don't want to do ... a limited inquiry taking place in April," he added.
In a heated exchange at the Law Society in London, Mill told the panel: "We're not trying to kill this inquiry. We set you up."
"Please do not raise your voice," Otton interjected.
"We are not the bad guys here," Mill said. "We have a finite amount of money available to us ... we are not like a football body."
McQuaid later said delaying the hearing was not designed to help his own re-election prospects in September, insisting: "I have nothing to worry about."
The panel fears that the process is stalled and complained about a lack of full disclosure by the UCI.
"It just amazes me that we have had absolutely no documents whatsoever," former British Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson said to the UCI's lawyer. "When are we going to get the ... files?"
The UCI agreed Friday to introduce a "truth and reconciliation" commission with the World Anti-Doping Agency, cutting out the independent panel established to investigate the governing body's links to Armstrong.
UCI President Pat McQuaid said he wants to ensure cycling has "drawn a line in the sand finally - and for the last time" on doping scandals that have tarnished the credibility of the sport.
Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from Olympic sports following a report by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that portrayed him as a longtime user of performance-enhancing drugs.
After years of denials, Armstrong admitted to doping in an interview last week with Oprah Winfrey.
"The truth and reconciliation process is the best way that we can examine the culture of doping in cycling in the past, and can clear the air so that cycling can move forward," McQuaid said after a stormy hearing by the panel investigating his body.
The UCI's reputation has been badly damaged by accusations its leaders covered up suspicious doping tests given by Armstrong during his 1999-2005 run of Tour de France victories and improperly accepted donations from him totaling $125,000.
The independent commission formed to establish the veracity of those claims clashed at Friday's hearing with the UCI's lawyer over two key demands it has made - broaden the investigation into Armstrong's role as the ringleader of an elaborate doping scheme on the U.S. Postal Service team and begin an amnesty program of its own to ensure witnesses come forward.
The UCI rebuffed their proposals by insisting it would be too costly to fund wide-scale investigations, and the three-person panel will meet again on Thursday to discuss whether to proceed.
And McQuaid said since the independent commission was established, "several of our stakeholders have said they won't take part in it. Not just USADA and WADA but others, national federations."
The UCI said it would update the independent panel on the talks planned this weekend with WADA President John Fahey about the amnesty commission.
McQuaid first revealed he was considering such an amnesty program to The Associated Press in September, but said Friday the plans were only finalized in recent days.
"WADA have indicated that they would share costs with the UCI," McQuaid said. "The WADA code is being reviewed and an amnesty is under discussion within that review. But we're just bringing that aspect forward."
But British judge Philip Otton, who heads the independent panel, accused the UCI of trying to use the delay in the truth and reconciliation process as "an excuse to kick the USADA allegations into the long grass."
Now the UCI is effectively asking the panel it established to suspend itself. It had been scheduled to hold full hearings in April and report by June.
UCI lawyer Ian Mill said the "entire process has been derailed" because the panel is demanding a "truth and reconciliation" process of its own and a widening of its role into the wider doping scandal.
"Getting to the bottom and determining how the USPS team operated without detection or sanction in a reasonable timescale ... causes us considerable anxiety," Mill said.
"We can do something which we understand you don't want to do ... a limited inquiry taking place in April," he added.
In a heated exchange at the Law Society in London, Mill told the panel: "We're not trying to kill this inquiry. We set you up."
"Please do not raise your voice," Otton interjected.
"We are not the bad guys here," Mill said. "We have a finite amount of money available to us ... we are not like a football body."
McQuaid later said delaying the hearing was not designed to help his own re-election prospects in September, insisting: "I have nothing to worry about."
The panel fears that the process is stalled and complained about a lack of full disclosure by the UCI.
"It just amazes me that we have had absolutely no documents whatsoever," former British Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson said to the UCI's lawyer. "When are we going to get the ... files?"
Great. But will Sam Adams be offered the opportunity to confess to wasting the city's infrastructure money on painted bicycle lanes?
I hope this amnesty includes Armstrong. He's already been punished enough!
 @Bdou Please explain to me how anyone can have sympathy for Lance Armstrong.  They guy is worse than a politician. Â
 @EdgarDerby  @BdouÂ
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Really? The man rides a flipping bicycle for a living. Who cares? How does that effect your life? I can tell you a million ways how a politician can effect your life; most of them revolve around taking your money and or a piece of your liberty.
 @EdgarDerby  @BdouÂ
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Once again, my statement was that this guy in no way compares to a politician. Yes, he's a jerk, yes he's a liar and yes he mislead people and let the little kiddies down, but he in no way compares to a politician.
 @Icarus  @Scotty9Â
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Yes, but exactly how does that affect me? I can name a bunch of politicians who have directly affected millions of lives to the negative.
 @Scotty9  @EdgarDerby  @BdouÂ
This guy collected millions in donations for his foundation under false pretenses. You really think Livestrong would be as big as it is today if the allegations against him were investigated much sooner?
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More importantly, I might not care, but millions of hardcore cycling fans do. The kids who looked up to Armstrong as a role model care. And whether something affects my life or not has NOTHING to do with moral justification. They're two completely separate concepts.
 @Scotty9   Â
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He deprived the public and the cycling community of the truth and represented himself as a hero. He perpetuated a world wide fraud for more than a decade and accepted wealth and fame on a series of lies. And, worst of all he continuously manipulated the public to invest their trust and admiration for him and manipulated their continued support. Lance is a Judas and he represents the worst of human self-centered characteristics.
 @EdgarDerby Â
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You're overly harsh on politicians...IMHO...most politicians are ignorant, greedy, and self-serving.
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Lance is the unnatural illegitimate love child of Ken Lay and Bernie Madoff that became a Wall Street banker for Goldman Sachs. Totally soulless, self-serving, without conscience, and using his considerable intelligence to exploit and manipulate others and then mocking the public for their social weaknesses: forgiving, trusting, and faithful. Only trophy Lance deserves the is the Grand Champion Sociopath of sports. His latest ploy of confession designed again to prey upon society by appealing to the inherent emotional goodness of most people; forgiveness, love, faith, honesty, characteristics Lance views as weakness (just look at the way he turned on old friends that told the truth) simply because he was cornered and belatedly confessed to abusing his fans for decades by being a liar. Narcissistic d-bag liar.
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@Bdou Nope. No matter how much he grovels (and he ain't groveled much yet), he can unring that bell (gong, rather) that he pounded on for all those years. Lies, and especially lies like that, have to have consequences. Permanent consequences.
If baseball offered amnesty, would Barry Bonds, Roger Clemons, Sammy Sosa. And the rest own up to the same thing that Armstrong has.
Professional sports are as corrupt as congress and politicians.
 @RalphCramden Yes, but Lance never had his hand in my pocket or tried to take my liberty away.
 @Scotty9  @RalphCramdenÂ
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Fundamentally one has to develop a personal ethic and recognize the difference between right and wrong behavior. And, decide to stand up for what is right and to condemn what is wrong. When one is properly socialized they see that it is wrong to harm others or to steal from others and they respect others and the rights of others within their society and have respect for all humanity, other living creatures, and the world as a whole.
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Lance turns that whole ethical basis for understand on its head because he only sees what is good for Lance without regard to anything else in the world and his behavior is anti-social. And, that is why he is despicable and needs to be condemned as a despicable individual.
 @Scotty9  @RalphCramdenÂ
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So you don't mind that he lied and you don't see that lying is theft because it deprives people of the truth? And, Bernie Maydoff probably never had his hand in your pocket so is he a great guy? Lies have gotten America into illegal wars killing thousands of people and ruining thousands of families. To tolerate that fraudulent behavior...lies...which is theft because it deprives people of the truth and accept that behavior as simply commonplace on the ego-centric argument that because one cannot identify a personal harm then it is immaterial is a selfish position without any social principle.  How can a person object when they are harmed when they haven't any principle or stood by society against the harm perpetuated against others? How can anyone expect anyone would stand to defend their Rights for Truth, Honor, and Justice when they refuse to defend or declare those rights for others within their own society...or for society itself.Â
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That is a self-centered position that declares the only harm in the world is the harm that I feel and it doesn't matter what I do to harm others; which is exactly how Lance behaves. He cried foul when confronted with the truth and manipulated people to his support. Now caught he cries foul...that he was only leveling the playing field....and manipulates people to his support.
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I'm not one of those people so manipulated and it is sad that there are so many people who accept that kind of abuse.
 @Icarus  @RalphCramdenÂ
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Wow, you can read a whole lot into a tiny little statement. My opinion is that he does not compare to politicians who have the ability to wreck havoc over entire populations.  Did I condone his behavior? No. Do I like him a person? No. Am I sorry for the people who may have been hurt by him? Yes. But that wasn't the point I was trying to make. Feel free to try and persuade me on unrelated issues that I already agree with you on; it's your time.
@RalphCramden I think I would ammend part of your sentence to Proffessional Sports and it's officials........
 @flyroy  @RalphCramden I'd amend it to apply to pretty much all of life, in general.
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Throw money and prestige into the mix, and this is the behavior you get pretty much everywhere you look. Â
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Unless someone here wants to hold Wall Street up as a shining beacon of moral purity.
 @Festivus  @flyroy  @RalphCramdenÂ
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Yes, Socrates made the case that integrity was itself a the greatest reward but that concept never really caught on socially maybe because its not taught in schools and so many examples where cheating, starting in school, pays dividends. Â
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And the fact remains; at the end of the day society doesn't care how a person got their money just so long as they have it. And, nobody cares or sings the praises of the poor old man who lead a just and honorable life.Â
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Socrates would be condemned to death today just as he was 3000 years ago.