Sánchez continues to support Lance
Euskaltel Euskadi leader Samuel Sánchez has once again voiced his support for fallen Tour de France king Lance Armstrong. According to the Olympic champion, "there's no need to sanction him as he's never tested positive".
Samu drew criticism for expressing similar sentiments during the Tour of Beijing, saying then "he remains innocent until the opposite is proved". Yet despite the fact that he has now been officially stripped off all his titles and given a lifetime ban by the sport's governing body, the 34-year-old still says it's everything but fair.
"I don't feel it's right", he said to radio station La Sexta after the UCI's stance was confirmed, according to BiciCiclismo. "I think there should be a fair trial. You can't sanction a rider solely based on verbal accusations.
"I don't think Lance has ever tested positive in his sporting career, so we can't sanction him. And now, right now, in cycling, we see that that's all that matters. One person accuses you and your career is over".
While I'll refrain to comment on it, seeing as it's too embarrassing and Samu clearly hasn't read USADA's report, suffice to say there's no wonder Spain suffers from a bad reputation.
8 comments:
This is a very sad situation, I really though that the guy had sense and integrity, his position over this is simply baffling.
Don't really know what to say.. How ignorant is it possible to be? Please Samu, this is just embarrassing! Bjarne Riis never tested positive, was he also clean?
Not enough that I've lost almost all my respect for the team, and now I loose so much respect for this great rider...
Magnus, this is very sad. If Samuel Sanchez - one of the most sympathetic and respected riders in the sport - is quoted correctly, and I fear he is, then professional cycling will just continue to be The Greatest Pharmaceutical Show on Earth. And it makes you wonder.
Sad situation, I always believed he was one of the few riding clean, well with this statement it makes impossible to believe it. I wonder if we everything know about the Ferrari case what will happen; Scarponi and Menchov surely hang and God only knows who will follow. Maybe in 2013 no TDF?
I suppose the reason for defending Armstrong is to defend cycling by proxy, but the USADA report is pretty damning. Like pulling back the curtain in the Wizard of Oz.
If Samu doesn't want to believe that he is associated with a sport that is fueled by some who ruthlessly cheated such as Armstrong, maybe the best way to cope with that would be for Samu to stay silent.
Please Samu, just ride your bike.
More nonsense. What is wrong with these people? The whole point of the Armstrong case was how they beat the testers, not proving positive is not a defence anymore.
Indurain says he still believes Armstrong is innocent
Read more: (http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/13131/Indurain-says-he-still-believes-Armstrong-is-innocent.aspx#ixzz2A83I3LiC )
I agree with Samu for the main part of what he said.
He simply said that this is not the way to judge a person.
You can say that i go to 200 km/h but until i'm not get by a velox it's just a "supposition".
He never said that "Armstrong did not use Epo" he said that "people saying' that it's not enough". This is an important right. If not, it's colled "inquisition" like we had here in Southern Europe many centuries ago. Having said that i've always liked people who stand by their opinions, even if all the rest of the world seems against them. Aupa Samu !
For me what Samu said sounds like "doping is only a positive test, and achieving to not be tested positive is part of the sport". I hope these times will come to an end.
And to compare the USADA report with slander is not the cleverest thing.
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