Basso to Become Anti-Doping Ambassador for UCI

Basso volunteered just enough to get the heat off of him, and now looks poised to come full circle, even though he never really admitted to anything

What the hell is happening to cycling? As reported by Eurosport and other outlets, deposed Italian cyclist Ivan Basso has been brought on board by the UCI to become an anti-doing ambassador after his suspension ends. Shouldn't his official title instead be "Attempted Anti-Doping Ambassador?" Basso never admitted to doping, only "attempted" doping. If Basso only "attempted" to dope, then Bill Clinton never inhaled and didn't f*!# Monika Lewinsky.

Don't get me wrong here either, I'm all for second chances. I rode with Basso in 2005, and found him to be a pretty cool dude. But I have a huge problem with someone who is unable to out and out admit that they did something wrong. Basso doped. Period. He may not have ever tested positive, but Simoni was right to call him an "extra-terrestrial" as he was dominating the 2006 Giro, riding away from the world's best climbers with ease.

When he was finally nailed to the wall by CONI and the UCI, he still didn't admit what he did, but chose to take the coward's way out and admit only what he had to admit. Meanwhile, riders like Andre Kashekin, Roberto Heras, and Jorg Jaksche can't find a contract after having admitted that they actually doped. What gives here? Why are the honest athletes being blacklisted while the slimier ones (Basso, Hondo, VDB, Di Luca, Valverde) roam free? Is there no justice in the sport of cycling? Apparently not.

Increasingly, Basso is looking more like a politician and less like an athlete. And if he spoke English just a bit better, I would think he was an American. I'm sure he and Roger Clemens could spend a nice evening talking about the millions of dollars they have made over the years for their lies and deception. I hope Basso comes back, races clean, and wins. But I fail to understand why Jaksche and the other honest, transparent names above can't do the same. It is time for cycling to reward honesty, and punish deception, instead of the other way around.

Liquigas Kicked Out of Rund um den Henninger-Turm; Rasmussen, Vino to Follow Basso in 2009?

News trickled down today out of Germany that the Italian Liquigas team will not be at the start line of the upcoming German semi-classic Rund um den Henninger-Turm, as they would not agree to sign the "statement of honor" document required of all registered teams. Already Liquigas seems to be preparing for the arrival of Ivan Basso, as the tainted star was signed a few days ago by the Italian Pro Tour outfit. Liquigas is having to face scrutiny from race organizers literally the day after they announced the signing, and Basso's actual return is still a half year away. The alleged "statement of honor" must have asked Liquigas to admit something that they no longer can: that they are in compliance with cycling's world governing body rules. They are not.

Everyone deserves a second chance, right Vino?

The Pro Tour ethics code stipulates that if a rider is sanctioned for doping, he is not allowed to sign for a Pro Tour team for four years. After having withdrawn itself from the AIGCP, Liquigas has placed itself in a tough spot as it struggles to defend the choice to sign Basso. The way the situation is handled by other race organizers will have a huge effect on how future cases are dealt with. If Liquigas succeeds and Basso is able to start the Giro and other major races in 2009, what should stop another rider, either unsanctioned or done with his two year ban, from jumping onto a different Pro Tour team? Further, if Liquigas is eventually stripped of it's Pro Tour status, but still earns invites to the year's biggest races, won't other teams follow that same course and sign whomever they please?

The Pro Tour may go the way of the old cycling World Cup in 2008

Worse still, will cycling fans soon have to watch Michael Rasmussen, Alexandre Vinokourov, Andre Kashikin, and others be rewarded with lucrative high profile contracts from other Pro Tour teams in the near future? Perish the thought, but wouldn't Jan Ullrich, who is facing no sanction, at least consider returning if the price was right? In what could turn into a real mess, the above riders and others may soon be in the picture, as the fight against doping continues. Just don't necessarily expect their teams to be at the biggest races, as it looks like the race organizers, not the UCI's Pro Tour, will govern the sport into 2009.