David Millar - What's the point?

I was very disappointed to read this story, I never thought Millar was able to win the TDF but he seemed to be a cool guy and a great rider. I always enjoyed his interviews, etc.

The only thing I can say is that anything with people involved will include human failings. David Millar obviously made some poor choices along the way, I hope he can overcome them in the future.

I've just set up a new thread just titled David Millar on which I've put my thoughts about the feeding frenzy which is going on at the moment.

I'm disappointed with him, I've always thought him a complete p**t who throws tantrums like a 2 year old but fair do's he can ride a bicycle.

I've spoken to people today that know him and they are absolutley gob=smacked at the revelations and this leaves me wth the impression that people have been out to get him for a long time.

This is not the time to gloat - and I have no intention in doing so.
On a human level, I have sympathy for David Millar.
He will have to face the future with this charge against him.

I would like to ask a wider question : what credibility is now left in the sport ?
The denial in this sport is so deep rooted that it takes the actions of the civil authorites in France to show that systematic cheating has been in operation in this sport since 1998.

We say it every time there is a new scandal but the story just seems to be replayed, with Millar now being the latest culprit.

Of course those in denial, when confronted with faster and faster times, waffle on about better diets, training, etc.

The sport, in the professional ranks, is the laughing stock of the wider general public.

I commend the civil authorities in France.

Watch as the UCI disown Millar.

One final point : David Walsh's colleague at the Sunday Times
- Paul Kimmage - tried unsuccessfully to get an interview with
David Millar a few weeks back.
Kimmage published an article stating how he tried to persuade Millar to speak with him, two weeks ago.
Millar refused point blank to meet with him.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by limerickman
This is not the time to gloat - and I have no intention in doing so.
On a human level, I have sympathy for David Millar.
He will have to face the future with this charge against him.

I would like to ask a wider question : what credibility is now left in the sport ?
The denial in this sport is so deep rooted that it takes the actions of the civil authorites in France to show that systematic cheating has been in operation in this sport since 1998.

We say it every time there is a new scandal but the story just seems to be replayed, with Millar now being the latest culprit.

Of course those in denial, when confronted with faster and faster times, waffle on about better diets, training, etc.

The sport, in the professional ranks, is the laughing stock of the wider general public.

I commend the civil authorities in France.

Watch as the UCI disown Millar.

One final point : David Walsh's colleague at the Sunday Times
- Paul Kimmage - tried unsuccessfully to get an interview with
David Millar a few weeks back.
Kimmage published an article stating how he tried to persuade Millar to speak with him, two weeks ago.
Millar refused point blank to meet with him.

When you get a supremely gifted individual, such as Lance Armstrong, whose muscles produce hardly any lactic acid while he rides, it is tough for a non doped athlete to keep up with him. When this wide range of ability gap occurs, as it sometimes happens in nature and has with Lance, it seems that the doping is bound to occur. They can't stand to keep losing.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by gntlmn
When you get a supremely gifted individual, such as Lance Armstrong, whose muscles produce hardly any lactic acid while he rides, it is tough for a non doped athlete to keep up with him. When this wide range of ability gap occurs, as it sometimes happens in nature and has with Lance, it seems that the doping is bound to occur. They can't stand to keep losing.

Hear, hear Gntlmn. I couldn't agree with you more.

I've never used drugs and have no intention of using them. However, I'm afraid I have some sympathy for athletes who use them since the whole issue is a catch 22. My guess is that virtually all the top cycling pros are using some kind of chemical enhancement just as representatives of other sports do, from tennis players to gymnasts.
I simply don't believe the top athlete who swears he doesn't use chemicals. Ask yourself whether you'd feel comfortable competing against others who you know enjoy a massive advantage over you.
The nature of science, technology and capital gain from sports is such that each country is developing technologies to allow their own athletes to win. These include chemical aids that can't be detected by doping tests.
My view is that drugs have totally ruined bodybuilding far more than in the case of cycling. In the old days, bodybuilders relied on dessicated liver and dianabol. Today they're stacking so much stuff they resemble freaks and then drop dead at 40.
It would be great to get rid of drugs in sport but how? It's kind of a vicious circle.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by limerickman
This is not the time to gloat - and I have no intention in doing so.
On a human level, I have sympathy for David Millar.
He will have to face the future with this charge against him.

I would like to ask a wider question : what credibility is now left in the sport ?
The denial in this sport is so deep rooted that it takes the actions of the civil authorites in France to show that systematic cheating has been in operation in this sport since 1998.

We say it every time there is a new scandal but the story just seems to be replayed, with Millar now being the latest culprit.

Of course those in denial, when confronted with faster and faster times, waffle on about better diets, training, etc.

The sport, in the professional ranks, is the laughing stock of the wider general public.

I commend the civil authorities in France.

Watch as the UCI disown Millar.

One final point : David Walsh's colleague at the Sunday Times
- Paul Kimmage - tried unsuccessfully to get an interview with
David Millar a few weeks back.
Kimmage published an article stating how he tried to persuade Millar to speak with him, two weeks ago.
Millar refused point blank to meet with him.

Personally I think that use of illegal substances is rampant in the professional cycling ranks. It's a terrible shame and it's destroying the sport.

The big problem I have however, is when one individual is singled out (often due to their success or popularity) when there's no more evidence to condemn that individual than there is to condemn anyone else. It's absolutely ridiculous to think that the guy in first place is dirty but the guy in second place (who's essentially riding at the exact same level) is clean. That's just completely asinine!

Having said that, I certainly in no way mean to imply that use of these substances is okay!

Seems to me that as we have only a leaked report in a paper we should , perhaps , wait until the FACTS are released before publicly stoning anybody . I don´t like David Millar but let´s see the evidence BEFORE convicting him - the same as we´re doing with Armstrong perhaps ? by the same rules he should be banned from the tour as there are " doubts " about him acording to a book he is trying to supprese . What ever happened to innocent till proven guilty ? or is it now innocent untill somebody writes a story ?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by el Inglés
Seems to me that as we have only a leaked report in a paper we should , perhaps , wait until the FACTS are released before publicly stoning anybody . I don´t like David Millar but let´s see the evidence BEFORE convicting him - the same as we´re doing with Armstrong perhaps ? by the same rules he should be banned from the tour as there are " doubts " about him acording to a book he is trying to supprese . What ever happened to innocent till proven guilty ? or is it now innocent untill somebody writes a story ?

The story says that Millar has confessed to using EPO. If that's true, this is a much different situation than with Armstrong, who denies having used illegal substances and has thus far passed every drug test that has been administered to him.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by el Inglés
Seems to me that as we have only a leaked report in a paper we should , perhaps , wait until the FACTS are released before publicly stoning anybody . I don´t like David Millar but let´s see the evidence BEFORE convicting him - the same as we´re doing with Armstrong perhaps ? by the same rules he should be banned from the tour as there are " doubts " about him acording to a book he is trying to supprese . What ever happened to innocent till proven guilty ? or is it now innocent untill somebody writes a story ?

Don't forget that this whole thread was started by the phrase "If it's true,..."

The fact is that we don't know the truth, and no one is judging anyone yet. All we're doing is speculating and venting our frustrations about doping. I absolutely agree that we shouldn't condemn anyone without proof, and in this case I would certainly like to hear what Millar has to say before even coming up with a preliminary personal judgment.

The eery thing is that the paper claimed that Millar had
confessed . What's even more worrying is that there has been no denial yet.

By the way, the Tour policy is to ban any rider under official investigation for doping. Millar is under investigation; Armstrong is not.

It's such a shame. Still, I'll enjoy the Tour more than ever this year. No point dewelling on it.

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