DNA - D(oes) N(ot) A(cquit)

Myself and a few others have been going back and forth on the message board regarding the latest DNA debate in professional cycling. Go to the board and visit the "Road" section to read the topic "Typical" as a man posing as Wade gets the topic rolling. It all starts with an article from Velonews where Paolo Bettini says he'd rather quit than supply his DNA.

Wade and others feel as though it's a backdoor admission of guilt by not providing your DNA. The responses are thought out and not just a bunch of knee-jerk attitudes. I feel differently and believe riders should not arbitrarily submit their DNA for a long list of reasons.

Today, if all riders submitted a DNA sample it will not end the war on doping in cycling.

Below are my replies and reasoning behind why DNA samples should not happen. I have made some editing changes, but the point is the same:

Yes, I must disagree. It's too invasive for one, and two, for real change to happen it has to start with the riders doing what is right. Here we have every stakeholder surrounding them telling them to clean up and take the test while those stakeholders are the very ones who pushed them to the brink to take drugs in the first place. They (ie stakeholders) can't have it both ways.

(A stakeholder would be other cyclists, fans, media, team directors, sponsors, team doctors, coaches, etc.)

Eventually riders will have to take it upon themselves to race clean, speak out honestly more, point fingers, and essentially clean themselves up. Only they can scare themselves straight, and to be frank, Lance Armstrong set this movement back by intimidating Christophe Bassons years ago. If Lance is as clean as he says then what does he care what Bassons says? If clean he would continue his undefeated record in court, no?

Plus, deep down, nobody trusts any organization to get the testing results right. Even clean riders are scared to death of this because they do not see fairness and objectivity being displayed by those governing the sports bodies today. A rider's career hangs in the balance while people like Dick Pound, the media, the UCI and others hang them out to dry in the court of public opinion. They do so maliciously with intent to injure and scare, which in my opinion is the wrong way to treat people and get results. They are leaders in the industry? It's an insult to true professionals that they get to keep their jobs.

I applaud the riders for standing up and saying, "No, I do not agree with that BS." Pro cyclists may be perceived as dumb and gullible, but they're smart enough to know the nightmare would not stop with a DNA test.

It also boils down to trust. The riders do not trust anyone around them to get it right, and there is a historical track record within the industry to back up their claims. The people who are saying let me use your DNA for/against you are the same ones who have been influencing these riders to dope. Those mixed signals won't work until everyone comes clean, not just the riders.

The culture would be very different if those leaders were going overboard in handling the situation with professionalism, with due diligence, and were able to be respected as trustworthy people throughout.

The discussion then moved to how teams are affected and handling the situation:

How can anyone make sense of CSC losing Ivan Basso to the charges brought in Puerto when now he's with Discovery? If I am CSC I'd feel pretty left out in that deal when charges end up being dropped. So that's all it takes to lose your best rider? We still do not know the truth, and probably never will.

Now, I do like what T-Mobile is doing because they are setting a new standard for the culture of that team. I do not point fingers at anyone who would leave (ie Kloeden) because anytime the culture within an organization changes people move on, regardless of the circumstances involved. I would venture to guess it wasn't just their doping policy that changed.

The key will be if everyone within that organization can live up to that standard of expectations, not just the riders. Starting on the micro level (team) and growing outward (industry) is a good way to begin. Starting from the top down through DNA testing is not the most productive way because it does not address all the other disgusting issues of doping. It's almost like the "gotcha" style of managing, and to that I say BS. The mirror must be held up to everyone.

Also, the riders have had NO leverage up to this point. Riders have the most pathetic union representation. DNA testing is all they have to hold back aside from quitting and not racing at all. I think this is a good strategy on their part, especially because many in the general public view their DNA as a very private matter. I know I view it as, whoa dude, that's one step too far over the line.

End of my thoughts on the message board.

The one other thing worth expanding upon is how Discovery has signed Ivan Basso after an investigation has released him (or has it) from the Puerto affair. The trust established between Basso and Bjarne Riis was destroyed by an investigation full of allegations that have since returned false results. Again, in my view, for Johan Bruyneel to benefit in this way is wrong. Team CSC should not lose its best rider over trumped up charges.

Bruyneel's response to signing Basso sees him disagreeing with ProTour's Code of Conduct that he never did agree to sign. I agree with him on this and applaud him for not going along with such a Code when it favors an "assumed guilty until proven innocent" judicial style. This is why you see all the other ProTour teams up in arms over the matter. He is right to buck their system, but I strongly believe it's bad karma to gain Basso in this manner.

DNA samples would not clear up that muck of a mess. When emotions are involved it's very difficult to overcome doubt and distrust even when it stems from what turns out be bogus charges. A stigma stays with that person despite the truth because in most cases doubt lingers for far too long before truth becomes known. It's unfortunate for sure, but it's hard to overlook that lump in your throat.

A few times lately I have said that cycling needs their version of Jose Canseco to come out and preach the truth. Well, maybe Christophe Bassons was that person, but we didn't want to hear it because Lance Armstrong was in the midst of his rein. Bassons was saying things well before people were ready to digest anything of the sort.

What a missed opportunity to really clean up the sport.