Geneviève reportedly retires
Genevieve Jeanson has reportedly decided to retire rather than fight to prove her innocence after testing positive for EPO. She is facing a lifetime ban from USA Cycling. It's unclear if that's just for the US or if this has jurisdiction abroad too.
Read the Velonews report about Geneviave Jeanson's retirement HERE.
Genevieve was a dominant female rider at one time, and to be doing it at such a young age was even more unbelievable. Is she even 20 yet?
Personally I feel lifetime bans are wrong in any sport unless someone has proven themselves over the course of time to be systematic cheaters. I'm not talking about being caught red handed once or twice, but rather there should be something like a three-strikes and you're out policy. Sport is theilivelihoodod and they must be allowed the opportunity to redeem themselves, and/or prove their innocence before an objective body of arbitration.
Moreover, if an athlete continues to turn up positive test results or run into legal problems they will automatically shut themselves out of the sport. Teams do not want a tainted or cheating athlete, and sponsors damn sure do not want the bad publicity from a doped up competitor. Cheating through doping is finally becoming bad business.
According to the article she didn't show up for a test after a race in Europe, but failure to report is considered a positive result. At a later event her hematocrit level was too high and told she couldn't race, but afterwards passed doping controls. After these occurrences she applies to race in the US and subsequently fails a doping test at the Tour de Toona.
The Tour de Toona test result is her actual first positive EPO outcome, and USA Cycling slams down a lifetime ban. I haven't researched this yet, but is this a consistent decision from USA Cycling?
I don't know or really care if Genevieve used EPO or not, maybe she did, but every organization who oversees doping controls has to eventually adhere to a standardized procedure. Recently there have been decisions overturned regarding previous positive test results.
The testing methods, the documentation procedures, the lack of objectiveness from governing bodies and the guilty before proven innocence attitude all have to be challenged and changed. The lack of consistency in every facet of this issue is disturbing, and people wonder why athletes like Lance get defensive?
I'll paraphrase what a doctor once said, "It's better to not punish any than to get one test result wrong. It's not worth ruining one person's career over."
Read the Velonews report about Geneviave Jeanson's retirement HERE.
Genevieve was a dominant female rider at one time, and to be doing it at such a young age was even more unbelievable. Is she even 20 yet?
Personally I feel lifetime bans are wrong in any sport unless someone has proven themselves over the course of time to be systematic cheaters. I'm not talking about being caught red handed once or twice, but rather there should be something like a three-strikes and you're out policy. Sport is theilivelihoodod and they must be allowed the opportunity to redeem themselves, and/or prove their innocence before an objective body of arbitration.
Moreover, if an athlete continues to turn up positive test results or run into legal problems they will automatically shut themselves out of the sport. Teams do not want a tainted or cheating athlete, and sponsors damn sure do not want the bad publicity from a doped up competitor. Cheating through doping is finally becoming bad business.
According to the article she didn't show up for a test after a race in Europe, but failure to report is considered a positive result. At a later event her hematocrit level was too high and told she couldn't race, but afterwards passed doping controls. After these occurrences she applies to race in the US and subsequently fails a doping test at the Tour de Toona.
The Tour de Toona test result is her actual first positive EPO outcome, and USA Cycling slams down a lifetime ban. I haven't researched this yet, but is this a consistent decision from USA Cycling?
I don't know or really care if Genevieve used EPO or not, maybe she did, but every organization who oversees doping controls has to eventually adhere to a standardized procedure. Recently there have been decisions overturned regarding previous positive test results.
The testing methods, the documentation procedures, the lack of objectiveness from governing bodies and the guilty before proven innocence attitude all have to be challenged and changed. The lack of consistency in every facet of this issue is disturbing, and people wonder why athletes like Lance get defensive?
I'll paraphrase what a doctor once said, "It's better to not punish any than to get one test result wrong. It's not worth ruining one person's career over."
posted by NashvilleCyclist.com at 1/19/2006 11:02:00 AM
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