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Alberto Contador is one of the world's best riders but he lacks a little in the personality department. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in the recent doping scandal. Enter the Spanish Olympic Committee or SOC. As the Spanish government tries to appease the bond markets with budget cuts, the SOC's president Alejandro Blanco said yesterday that Contador and track athletes involved in Operation Galgo should receive maximum bans if they are found guilty of doping. Poor Contador is facing a two-year ban and being stripped of his third Tour de France title after failing a doping test during the race. Fourteen people are implicated in Galgo, including world steeplechase champion Marta Dominguez.
"In the case of Contador and any other athletes — maximum sanction when we know" if they are guilty, Blanco told The Associated Press. "When it's proven an athlete has doped, there is no debate — authorities need to act." While all results are usually annulled and prize money can be paid back with a doping sanction, Blanco was also open to the suggestion that Spanish athletes pay back grants earned from the state to assist in training.
"If they are shown to be guilty then there's no debate, they have to return everything," Blanco said from COE's Madrid headquarters. "Take away the grant and, even, try to make them pay back the money." Despite backing Contador after news of his failed test, Blanco dismissed any notion the Spanish cyclist would get preferential treatment after the cycling federation's president also came out in support. Contador tested positive for clenbuterol, which he has blamed on contaminated meat. "Until it is proven that an athlete had doped, you can't criticize the athlete," Blanco said. "There is not a single doubt over the ability of our disciplinary committees in any Spanish federation. They respect the rules in that sense, so people can rest assured."
Blanco was concerned over the fallout of Galgo, a Spanish Civil Guard investigation, which has divided Spanish track and field and accused Dominguez of being a supplier of performance-enhancing drugs. But he didn't expect recent scandals to affect the country's sports image as it considers bids to host the 2020 or 2024 Games. Madrid lostto London for 2012 and Rio de Janeiro for 2016. Barcelona and Zaragoza are considering bids for the 2022 Winter Games. Blanco insisted Spain was at the forefront of the battle on doping. "Nobody fights against doping more than Spain does," he said.
As Spyns tour clients gear up for the 2011 Tour de France, many wonder whether Contador will actually participate in this year's race. While I applauded Lance Armstrong for every Tour de France, I secretly wish Contador wouldn't race this year to open up the competition to a new generation of riders (Cavendish, Schleck, or Hesjedal to name a few). We'll just have to wait until July 2011 to see.
Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns specializes in Tour de France packages for both riders and non-riders. We specialize in providing clients with Tour de France bike and non-biking packages with Paris grandstand seats and VIP access. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please visit http://www.tdf-tours.com/ or http://www.spyns.com/. You can also call us toll-free at 1.888.825.4720.
