... sounds like a non-story. Reigning world champion Mark Cavendish missed an out-of-competition control last April because he was filming something on Mt. Etna with the BBC, instead of wherever he had told the test/tracking system where he would be. He calls it an "administrative error" and since it's his first, he has two more strikes before there could be repercussions. There is no other evidence of Cavendish being involved in anything resembling cheating.
Anytime a sentence includes "world champion" and "doping" there will be news, and to make matters worse the story coincides with two other riders' control-availability situations which point to real trouble. But for Cav, this is one of those rare occasions where, from all appearances, there really is no news.
0 recs | 29 comments
It's news in as far that
if he misses two more we now know when the first one was. But that’s all. 5 lines in a sidecolumn, no more than that.
tgsgirl - January 6, 2012
certo
although I am guessing there’s a statute of limitations here someplace? Like, if he makes all his appointments for another year or so, they wipe the slate clean?
Chris Fontecchio - January 6, 2012
3 missed within an 18-month period.
umwolverine - January 6, 2012
correct.
Jen See - January 9, 2012
probably, yes
But perusing the uci rule book is going a bit far, even for me.
tgsgirl - January 6, 2012 via iPhone app
I meant perusing from my iPod
Officially simply perusing is not going too far for me.
tgsgirl - January 6, 2012 via iPhone app
*obviuosly
Jesus, I’m not made for all this mobile malarkey.
tgsgirl - January 6, 2012 via iPhone app
Why is the UCI announcing all this crap now?
It’s like they just picked up the package off their desk from this summer and realized a bunch of riders missed tests.
lieutenantmudd - January 6, 2012
as much fun as it is to blame the uci
Cav came out with this one himself apparently.
tgsgirl - January 6, 2012 via iPhone app
Dont think so
La Gazzetta Dello Sport ‘started’ it, and eventually Cav was forced to confirm it. One of his tweets gives a clue: “RT @roadcyclinguk Blog- ‘missed doping test’ a non-starter: The crime here is that a single missed test has been leaked”
Sum_of_Marc - January 6, 2012
I was referring to Offredo as much as I was to Cavendish
lieutenantmudd - January 6, 2012
On the other hand, it looks like Offredo has used his 3 strikes :(
For the last one, he was actually racing in Belgium when the doping controller knocked on his door at home because his team had sent him there at the last minute… We’ll see what happens but not a good week for French cycling after the Baugé affair…
FrenchKheldar - January 6, 2012
Whew
I thought from your open you were going to go from why it SOUNDS like a non-story to a big rant about why it’s the most horrible thing in the history of ever.
Glad to be wrong about that :)
Aly Edge - January 6, 2012
Heh
I promise not to bury the lead…
Chris Fontecchio - January 6, 2012 via mobile
And the BBC video they were shooting was
quite silly
TheFigurehead - January 7, 2012
at least they didn't run him over
like they did Sharon Laws, in a BBC pre-2008-Olympics vid….
Sarah Connolly - January 8, 2012
All this leaking etc.
Would it be a problem to have this whereabout system (violations) running publicly?
Uphill - January 7, 2012
Yes
it affects a rider’s public profile and hence his monetary value.
tedvdw - January 7, 2012
maybe. In reality during hard contract negotiations the rider will likely have
have to disclose this information to the interested team anyway.
So will Cav’s public profile change from this latest whereabout violation? I am not sure.
Uphill - January 7, 2012
In Cav's book
he talks about how, in his early days, he fucked up whereabouts twice within a short period of time, and was therefore one more screw up away from a suspension. So not unprecedented for him, although you’d think he’d have learned his lesson.
majope - January 7, 2012
Yeah, maybe
But sometimes you just have to say ‘fuck it’ and stick it to the man
sebastiandeluded - January 7, 2012
That
must be very, very tempting. The whole whereabouts system sounds like a fricking nightmare.
Chris Fontecchio - January 8, 2012
The UCI should just have an iPhone app that tracks the athletes
Keep your phone charged and in the same city you are in = problem solved
lieutenantmudd - January 7, 2012
Current location is not the issue
They must know ahead of time to send the vampires.
tedvdw - January 8, 2012
From what I understand of the British Olympic system
they can change their location right up to one minute before the designated hour begins. Even just by sending a text message.
Monty. - January 9, 2012
Ah!
Even if the 2nd location is far away from the 1st? (as opposed to small). Enter into ADAMS that you’ll be in Manchester, then text to say, nope, it’s Barbados after all.
tedvdw - January 9, 2012
Looks like it
If this 60-minute slot changes it must be updated prior to the 60-minute slot commencing. This can
be done using any of UK Anti-Doping’s updating services (ADAMS, SMS, email and phone line) up to
one minute before the 60-minute slot begins. However if the slot is cancelled, an alternative slot
must be given for that same day or the athlete may be liable for a Filing Failure.
Monty. - January 9, 2012
with one small exception
“An update of the 60-minute time slot may be made at any time up until the beginning
of the time slot. In appropriate circumstances, however, last-minute updates by an
Athlete may be pursued as a possible anti-doping rule violation of evading Sample
collection…and/or Tampering (or Attempting to Tamper) with Doping Control”
(Or do it regularly, or because you saw the testers coming down the driveway etc and it could be viewed as a worse action than a missed test)
andrewp - January 9, 2012
It is a non-story
Numerous riders have one or two missed tests within an 18 month span. Spartacus missed two just a couple years ago. It’s only news if they miss 3.
Nawls - January 7, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Podium Cafe to post a comment.