Time for change at the top of cycling - response to Greg Lemond
I'm not sure that everyone knows that a few years ago Thom Weisel, who ran Tailwind Sports (US Postal and Discovery), became a powerful figure in USA cycling. He founded the USA Cycling Development Foundation and raised millions of dollars for USA Cycling. His former masters racing teammate Steve Johnson is the current head of USA cycling. This is why Greg Lemond wants to try to pull the rug out from under USA Cycling, because of the connections of those in power there to Lance Armstrong, and by extension to the institutionalized doping that in that team that was described in the USADA report. Lemond believes that there is widespread cronyism in the sport's governance, and if we want to root drug use out from pro cycling, one of the things that needs to be addressed is the 'leadership' of the sport, or lack thereof. Mr. Weisel was quoted in 2008 as saying doping in cycling should be handled internally. "Handle the problem below the surface and keep the image of the sport clean," he said. "In the U.S. sports—baseball, basketball, football—most fans couldn't care less." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704457604576011490820993006.html) On August 17th, the UCI tried to stop USADA from pressing its case against Armstrong by manipulating USA cycling: "We request USA Cycling to promptly instruct USADA that it has no authority to act or proceed,” the UCI's letter said (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/story/2012-08-17/lance-armstrong-doping-case-usada/57123262/1). It is important that with UCI acting to consistently sweep doping under the rug that the USA must have an organizational structure that is clear in its commitment to out dopers. With Johnson’s links to Weisel and Armstrong, it seems possible that we could probably have better leadership on the doping front. This flowchart has a lot of details about how all of these people are connected: http://www.sandcreeksports.com/documents/ArmstrongChart.pdf The true problem is that the fox is guarding the hen house across the universe of this sport. The vested interest of all of the cycling bodies is for healthy cycling, and as Weisel asserted that means don’t rock the boat. With organizations like the UCI skidding on the matter, this whole case wouldn’t have proceeded without USADA, which stands apart from cycling. That process needs to become institutionalized in cycling, and the UCI stands firmly in the way of this, and thus, progress. It is unclear to me that USA Cycling stands as a proactive force for change and a guiding light toward clean sport. I therefore support the general sentiments expressed by Greg Lemond. It is up for people like us to work out the details of whether a ‘revolution’ is possible within the system, or if it must be done outside of it and I believe that it is our duty to advocate for USA Cycling to promote a stand-alone anti-doping system. Change must come at the top levels of leadership in cycling governance, either in their policies or in their personnel, and that is clearly Lemond’s point. If we fail in these efforts, no sane parent will allow their child to pursue cycling and we will see American power in cycling reduced accordingly. Mark Kerlin
posted by Mark @ 9:01 AM
<< Home