29 September 2010

What happens when a winner is a loser

Alberto Contador is now accused of taking drugs
The winner of the 2008, 2009, 2010 Tour de France is about to generate huge amounts of bad press for the sport of cycling. What happens when a winner of the Tour de France is found guilty of doping? Well first he denies it, makes up a far-fetched excuse, then he goes to court, finally his titled is taken away, and he is banned for 2 years from competing in the sport of cycling (and in Alberto Contador's case he misses out on his 4.5 million euro a year salary). This all takes years, by then no one can remember who came in second. 
History tells us the sad story of a Tour de France winner named Floyd Landis from 2006. And so the story goes ... TDF winner denies allegations of doping, collects over 1 million dollars from fans during a "free floyd" defense campaign. Writes a book, earns more money, tells his own Mennonite Mother he is innocent, and spends a reported 2 million in legal costs and expenses. When he finally hears 14 months after winning the Tour de France in Paris, that he has lost his case and will be stripped of his Tour de France Title, he walks upstairs in his home in California and throws his prized Tour de France trophy off of his balcony shattering it into pieces. He is disgraced, labeled a cheater, and ostracized by most of his friends. A few friends stick by him, fans try hard to believe in his innocence, his Mother begins to doubt him, his marriage begins to crumble, he begins to drink even more. After a two year ban his return to racing is not going so well. He has jeopardized the reputation of other professionals. He has no money to pay anyone back, not the Sponsors, not the Tour de France, not the fans.
Frustrated and feeling as if no one else has had to suffer the toll he has, he begins to talk and write and speak - too much. No one is taking him seriously. He becomes angry. He finally admits his own guilt, he was a Doper and admits to spending over $90,000 a year on performance enhancing drugs, he claims everyone did it. Now his Mother is really pissed and his friends won't even talk to him, fans ridicule him and no one invites him to come race a bike anymore. So he talks even more, he offers details and accuses others. He has found his purpose, he becomes fully committed to bringing the same misery to others. The End. Only I wish it was the end.
I want a new sport to follow, this one is SO not fun anymore.
just so we start remembering now ... Andy Schleck came in second in the 2010 and 2009 Tour de France. Cadel Evans came in second in the 2008 Tour de France.
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I know you want to read about the Tour de France prize money again so here you go. How much do they make for winning the Tour de France. By tradition, a team's winnings are pooled and shared among the riders and support team. A team's prize money is not awarded if a rider of the team tests positive during the Tour de France.

Maybe we need to hire Accountants instead of Lab Technicians to catch dopers. Just a thought.