Some juicy bits from this interesting article on Jeanson.
In a story posted on the Radio Canada Web site on Oct. 28,
Gilbert spoke with a prominent Swiss hematologist, Pierre
Antonio Piloto, who offered three alternative explanations.
"He told me that there was three answers to the (high
hematocrit count)," Gilbert said. "One was the use of drugs;
two, she was sick; and three, she used blood transfusion,
which is the same as doping.
And so began another season, quietly enough, until late May,
when news broke that Jeanson missed a doping test following
a race in Belgium on April 21.
A pre-race test again turned up an excessively high
hematocrit, but a subsequent test taken before the race
suddenly found her red blood cell count to be normal. She
went on to the finish 30th in the race and skipped the post-
race doping test -- inadvertently, she argued, because she
was distressed.
"You're talking about someone who is familiar with doping
control and is one of the top-ranked UCI athletes in the
world, and she gets a fine?" said an exasperated Barbeau.
"It raises questions and it is surprising. When you look at
it from the outside it certainly looks as though she got
away with something."
The criticisms aren't limited to Jeanson's experience with
anti-doping authorities. Her personal coach, Andre Aubut,
has been at odds with the CCA and other Canadian cyclists
for years. Many blame that on Aubut's lack of experience --
he comes from a canoeing background -- and a controlling
style that puts Jeanson at loggerheads with other riders.
During the 2000 Sydney Games, Jeanson was seen in a heated
argument with teammate Lyne Bessette of Knowlton, Que.,
after Aubut reportedly tried to undermine the authority of
national coach Eric Van Den Eynde.
Ten-year road-racing veteran Anne Samplonius of Montreal
submitted an open letter that was published in the cycling
magazine VeloNews in June. Samplonius sarcastically thanked
the USADA for giving Jeanson a free pass, which she said
opened the door for other racers to cheat.
"You have granted me (as well as all women cyclists) a 'get
out of jail free' card!" wrote Samplonius. "Now I, too, can
miss my next drug test of choice and get off with just a
warning and fine. This has opened up my cycling future!"
Now Samplonius and Aubut have allegedly butted heads in
public, and on the road. Samplonius claimed that during the
national road race championships in Kamloops, B.C. last
month, Aubut cut her off with his car and spit at her.