Cycling could be axed from the Olympics...

[Flynn]

… Over Armstrong doping.

http://rt.com/sport/armstrong-doping-cycling-olympics-072/

[Jaded]

Of course, they have a precedent, since they banned Athletics and Weightlifting.

[Exit Stage Left]

Lance didn't compete in the Olympics after the formation of USADA, which may have some bearing on this.

[spesh]

The worst case scenario for UCI involvement in the LA doping Venn diagram could well eclipse anything in athletics or weightlifting, and leaving the WADA Code aside (see page 41 of the LA thread, link below), the IOC would have to throw the UCI out for making them look like rank amateurs when it comes to corruption in sports governance. 

http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=44116.msg1329275#msg1329275

[Exit Stage Left]

I can't say I'm that bothered. I quite liked the 100 km TTT, but that's long gone.

[clarion]

Tennis and foopball are both OK, then?  Operacion Puerto means nothing.

[vorsprung]

All cycling?  Track? BMX? VTT?  Or just the road race?

[FatBloke]

Of course, they have a precedent, since they banned Athletics and Weightlifting.

and swimming!!   

[Jethro]

Sounds to me like someone has just thrown his toys out of his pram.  What an arsehole though.

Would have thought that the UCI should only want to employ down to earth responsible people and not children.

[spesh]

It's more that Dick Pound moots that the IOC could throw cycling off the Olympic schedule every so often, in order to concentrate minds at the UCI.* The UCI derives what passes for its legitimacy, and a good deal of money, from being part of the Olympic movement. Whilst the UCI gives a good impression of not giving a damn about fans, sponsor or team owners, they will listen to the IOC.

Unfortunately, Verbruggen is the obstacle, with his dual role of being the cycling rep in the IOC, and the honorary president of the UCI (though some would say that he has all the power, rather than McQuaid). In the event of LA seriously fingering the UCI as a facilitator of the Motorola/USPS doping, the IOC, instead of throwing the sport off the Olympic bus for reasons I jokily suggested up-thread, could tell Verbruggen to take one for the team, in order to save cycling from being thrown out. But don't hold your breath...

* See: http://inrng.com/2013/01/acronymn-war/

[mzjo]

I seem to recall that Dick Pound has never seen eye to eye with the UCI. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't he head of the WADA when Verbruggen was head of the UCI, sometime back in the heady post-Festina days? Unfortunately, while I would love to see him proved right, I think Pat the caid has probably enough markers to call in amongst the other international sports federations to keep his lttle earner safe.

[citoyen]

All cycling?  Track? BMX? VTT?  Or just the road race?

Any event that's under the auspices of the UCI. The threat of expulsion is more to do with the behaviour of the governing body than any individual cyclists.

d.

[citoyen]

I seem to recall that Dick Pound has never seen eye to eye with the UCI.

The UCI sued Dick Pound for defamation - and won - over his suggestion that they weren't doing enough to eradicate doping from the sport. He's been pretty bitter towards them since then, and I don't suppose the latest revelations will do anything to improve relations between the two parties.

I'd like to see Dick Pound follow the Sunday Times's example and attempt to reclaim the damages he was forced to pay to the UCI.

d.

[spesh]

Pound had to put an apology to the UCI in a number of newspapers, but he worded it in such a way so as to repeat his allegation that the UCI weren't sufficiently concerned about tackling doping.

There's probably something about this buried somewhere in the Lance Armstrong thread...