Tour- In repsonce to doping

Response to Shayman (Does cycling have the highest amount of cheating athletes?):

While i have never seen any statistics on that statement, i can explain it by citing that cycling has the strictest testing for performance enhancers of any sport. In cycling unlike other sports experiencing problems with performance enhancing drugs there are legitimate and thorough desires in cycling to completely clean up the sport.

Looking at baseball, in the last 15 years it would be hard for anyone to deny that the games most prolific sluggers did not use steroids, yet no one really has been caught, and records still stand. Even today when players have been caught or admitted to use they have had little penalty. Take Manny Ramirez who was actually caught by the lax MLB system of using a banned substance and only had to miss a third of the season and was welcomed back to the Dodgers with open arms, his contract nor his stats and championships are at all in jeopardy, he got off with little more than a slap on the wrist. Or take Sean Meriman who was found 2 years ago by the NFL of using steroids, he was suspended four games and then welcomed back by the chargers to lead their defense on a playoff push. Though both the MLB and NFL obviously do not want cheaters in their sport their testing is not very aggressive at all, and I believe prefer the “no news is good news approach” to keep trust and popularity in the sport.

Cycling on the other hand, I believe, shows the most legitimate desire to make the sport completely clean. There are much stricter drug tests which occur after every stage of competition, multiple tests on high finishers as well as monthly and random tests on all professionals throughout the year, which is extremely aggressive and catches a lot of cheaters, and punishes them. The penalty for a positive test for a performance enhancer in cycling results in a minimum 2 year suspension from any competition (it can be 3-4 depending on the drug and circumstance) and a second positive test results in an essentially career ending 8 year ban. But getting caught sets riders even further back, positive tests terminate a riders team contract and dopers often have trouble getting resigned after their ban. Former American stars but caught dopers Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis were basically forced into retirement after being caught. Also these riders when caught were of course immediately stripped of their achievements in the event which they were caught.

I like cycling because I find it to be an exciting sport of endurance and masochism. Though am embarrassed by the dopers and believe they greatly tarnish the cycling (I support lifetime bans on any caught doper even riders that I had cheered for), I am happy every time a cyclist gets caught because that’s means one less cheater gaining acknowledgement for fake accomplishment and one more opportunity for a clean cyclist. The sport of Cycling does not mind strictly punishing anyone in the sport for doping, even the most popular riders. Though Manny and A-Rod (both admitted users) have somewhat tarnished their careers, their position in baseball, support from fans and paycheck have only slightly wavered. I am glad to say that in cycling these cheaters would no longer be accepted in the sport.

Sorry for the novel

Cliff notes – Cycling has the most strict antidoping policies of any sport and therefore catches more cheaters than any sport experiencing problems with performance enhancing drugs