Does it ever, ever, ever end?
The NY Times reported today that Michael Rasmussen failed to show up for a drug test twice. This is unbelievable. Why are they allowed to compete if they fail to show up?
MONPELLIER, France, July 20 — Michael Rasmussen, the current leader of the Tour de France, raced in the 12th stage today despite the disclosure on Thursday that he has missed two drug tests since the beginning of May and has received a warning that he could be suspended from the sport if he misses another.
The drug tests were missed on May 8 and June 28, at a time when anti-doping officials sought to contact Rasmussen but discovered that he had not informed them of his whereabouts.
The stupidity of this line of reasoning is awe inspiring. Let me get this straight:
-
Michael Rasmussen is a high profile professional athlete.
-
Michael Rasmussen has an employer.
-
Michael Rasmussen has a family.
-
Michael Rasmussen has friends.
And no one could find him? And no-one could set up a meeting with him?
If the anti-doping agency is that incompetent, of course there is cheating in cycling and sports.
I think the whole anti-doping campaign in organized sports is a little silly. It is very wide spread. I think it is unfair to ask a professional athlete who is under such pressure to perform to not pursue all avenues to improve their body.
The common argument “It’s about the athlete not the technology” falls flat with me.
All sports now heavily depend on the technology. Whether it’s the bike, or the gas in the car, or the doctors or even in some countries the breeding program we have gone beyond the idea of just letting athletes compete with god’s gifts.
I say open the flood gates and let anyone do anything to their own bodies to win.
I am not sure I agree or disagree.
I agree that the notion of a clean athlete is absurd. Recall that most of the violations are about inappropriate ratios. So is it doping if I am naturally deficient in magnesium and take magnesium to cover that deficiency? No test will determine that I am naturally deficient.
So I agree that the notion of a clean athlete is a silly one at best.
However, if the sport has a rule, then the essence of sportsmanship is to follow the rules. If the athletes can not be sportsmen, then I can not follow the sport. I have to call them what they are: dirty rotten cheaters.
Because they would rather lie and win, then be honest and lose. And I want my sports heroes to be honest.