Ha Ha! Got My Wish?

So it happened, hooray for me. Manuel Beltran of the Liquigas team had a positive test for EPO, a banned substance at this years Tour de France. So the tour is not as clean as everyone thought! People are still trying to dope, even with all the fighting with the UCI and the signing of contracts to say "I promise not to dope." Someone was caught.

But strangely, something happened that I did not anticipate. The media has actually turned against the rider. As the rule states (or as I think the rule states under UCI laws, but then again, the Tour is not under UCI regulation), after the "A" sample test positive, the rider is removed from the race and disqualified, but then the "B" sample is tested. If that test is also positive, then the rider is fired from his team, the contract terminated, and he is banned from the sport for 2 years.

This is not what has happened to "Triki" Beltran. Beltran was taken away by the French police for questioning, his team has already fired him and terminated his contract. The media has already persecuted him as guilty and are calling him a fool for even trying to dope during the Tour.

What about his "B" sample? Will everyone eat crow and apologize to him if it comes up negative? It wouldn't be the first time it has happened.

I doubt it. It seems everyone wants to be high and mighty and run with the ASO. When something bad happens, it seems everyone hold their breath until the ASO says or does something. It certainly doesn't help that the newspaper that broke the story (L'Equipe) is also owned by ASO.

I'm not sure how to feel on this one. I wanted people on my side saying, "Ha! The doping test have failed because the UCI is not involved!" But instead everyone is saying, "See the testing works. We're on our way to a clean sport."

I want a clean sport too. But I also want peace and harmony. And a big plasma TV.

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