Tour de Farce

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by corleonedk

Wrong he did not get kicked for the lie,he got kicked because the Tour leaders put pressure on Rabobank fearing another doping scandal.And i can understand them,dont get me wrong here.

It has been exactly the other way around. the tour management desperately tries to give an impression of business as usual, and was and is under massive force for being to soft on doping. It's not my conclusion when saiyng so - it was reported in and out in Tv interviews and sports TV programs beside the tour - for both German TV channels who initially reported live habe completey withdrawn and stopped any coverage of the live events. a third channel then took over, only finding himself becoming the taregt of so masisve public criticism that they let the opportunity forfeit and broadcasted live covergae from German football events instead.

Sponsors and team managements alike consider to sue several drivers of claims of fraud, seeking compensation for the financial damages the fiasco this year'S tour has brought to them. Germn team Telekom is amongst these, because before the tour the Germans were the leading voice in wanting to battle doping, and then ... German Telekom company probably completely withdraws from sponsoring, along with several other major sponsors and team financiers.

It is not about betraying the sport, and the audience. It is also about economical damage casued by bringing sponsor's names into discredit. Sponsors are not sponsoring for free, they hope for advertising effects, and scoring points in public perception and relation. but what is happeniong right now is not delivering these effects - but exactly the opposite.

A French newsppaper has printed an obituary notice on the Tour de France, saying that it died at the age of 104 after suffering from a long and serious disease...

Let's put those nails into the coffin and bury it, then hope it never pops up again like a zombie.