Yet another cycling doping investigation

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ballan-still-waiting-on-mantova-investigation

This article is another black eye on the proverbial face of professional cycling. It discusses an ongoing doping case, the Mantova Investigation, which involves a pharmacist, riders, and management of the Lampre professional cycling squad. The investigation has named 32 people that are involved in this doping case. The article focuses on Alessandro Ballan, former Lampre racer, who is currently racing on the BMC squad. Since the case opened he has continued to race except for two occasions when he was briefly pulled by the team management. One of the pieces of evidence against the Ballan and Nigrelli, the pharmacist is a telephone conversation regarding the use of EPO and human growth hormones. While being questioned last summer by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), Ballan stated that the conversations was in regards of using these substance to combat an illness and not for performance enhancement purposes. The article continues with the discussion of Ballan’s season racing calendar and his hopes of racing in the Giro di Italia.

                           The Mantova Investigation is centered on the 2008-2009 Lampre squad, which is one of dozens of doping scandals to involve professional cycling. Cycling has a long history of doping  as far back as 1924, with a newspaper report of three riders, Henri Pélissier, Francis Pélissier, Charles Pélissier of France, using a mixture of used Strychnine, cocaine, chloroform, aspirin, "horse ointment" and others drugs to keep going during the Tour de France. They are quoted saying, “do you know how we keep going?”, and showing the reporter the pills and cocaine.  As that quote illustrates riders continue to turn to doping in order to keep up, go fast, and longer. What does this doping culture say about sport of cycling? It seems like it is part of the culture, this is evidenced by the fact that the investigations take years to resolve and riders continue to race without any penalty. A perfect example Ballan who is still racing, I understand that he and the others being accused deserve due process. However, I feel like this sends the wrong message, to the riders and the fans of the sport. It takes years to investigate and prosecute these cases, they spend a lot of money in the process, and the riders continue to race for years with no consequences. Is doping control is worth the bother? Kim Bonaccorso KIN 577

Women Beach Volleyball Players Don't Have to Wear Bikinis

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/women-beach-volleyball-players-don-t-wear-bikinis-152113917.html


Just wanted to add this because I thought this was pretty interesting and great news for the sport. Do you think less people will be interested in watching Beach Volleyball now that teams can choose more modest uniforms? Which countries will keep their bikinis and why?


The article mentions a dominance in the sport from certain cultures, but is this because of the uniform, or other reasons? I think it will be interesting to see the overall change in uniforms, if any.

Kiola Raines

Coach Supports Cheating in Soccer

About two weeks ago one of the most supported teams in Mexican soccer, Chivas de Guadalajara, defeated Puebla thanks to a penalty shot taken after an alleged foul on Erick Torres. The cameras showed the obvious; Torres fooled the referee by falling inside the penalty area, pretending to be fouled when in reality nobody even touched him. The referee sanctioned the alleged foul by granting a penalty shot in favor of Guadalajara. In soccer 95 out of 100 times penalty shots usually end in a goal and Guadalajara didn’t disappoint by scoring the easy and decisive goal.

In the press conference Guadalajara’s coach talked about the above mentioned deceiving action on the part of Torres. Here are some of his “gems”:

“It is important for me that the essence of soccer doesn’t get lost. Soccer is deception, an error, a wise move.”

“In soccer everybody tries to take advantage, he is a young player, I saw the play and he dove like everyone dives. Now it seems that the essence of soccer, those beautiful things like guile and deception are being frowned upon when they have always existed”

It is clear that the coach accepts and supports that “soccer is deception”, and that “guile and cheating” are the beautiful parts of the game. We are talking about the coach of probably the most followed team in Mexico. Thousands of young people tune in week after week to watch their idols perform. Children will find “deception”, “cheating”, and “guile” as the path to take in order to achieve goals. If this works in a soccer game, why wouldn’t it work in every other aspect of life?

A winning-at-all-cost mentality permeates sport and has to be eradicated. This mentality has been installed deep in our beings and can be summed up with the classical and popular Mexican saying: “El que no tranza; no avanza” (He who does not cheat; does not get ahead).  Gerardo M. - KIN 577

Bounty Program Reveals Deviance in NFL

The recent news release regarding the bounty program that has been evident within the New Orleans Saints organization hints at a much larger problem. Deviance in sport has created an environment in which our professional players, the individuals whom are supposed to be the pinnacle of our athletic achievement, are being bribed to cause injury and pain to other sport participants. Other news reports hint at ledgers and documents that suggest this has been going on for much longer than has been released and admitted to by the Saints organization. When looking at events such as this, it begs to question: for what should athletes be rewarded? Many collegiate teams place stickers or insignias on their players helmets for good plays or "big hits." Where should the line be drawn between positive aggressive behavior and violence that borders on deviance? This is a hard question to answer, but I believe it is a worthwhile subject to consider when studying sport. A quote from E & S: "If second is unacceptable and all the rewards go to the winners, then some will do whatever it takes to be first." - Austin S. (Kin 577)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/saints-gm-and-coach-admit-blame-in-allowing-bounty-program-and-apologize/2012/03/06/gIQALDcOvR_story.html

Ultimate Tazer Ball: Does Sport Sometimes Go Too Far?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/ultimate-tazer-ball_n_1304396.html

I saw the headline for this "new sport" and was somewhat intrigued.  By the end of the article, I was shocked.  This "sport" combines soccer, football and rugby.  The point of the game is to get a medicine ball into your opponent's goal, scoring a point for your team.  Sounds harmless, right?  Not when the opposing team has the ability to taze you if you are in posession of the ball in an effort to steal the ball from you.  One of the creators of the game states that by allowing the tazer into the sport, it helps to allow all players an equal advantage during game play.  The shorter, smaller guy can stop an opposing player that is twice his size.  Coming from a recreational background, I am the first proponent on games that allow everyone to play equally and to have the opportunity for both sides to play a fair game.  But this is taking it to a whole new level.  It seems to me that the creators are using the "fair play for all" as a way of giving credit to this game.  Knowing the general rules, is it really possible for there to be a positive spin on this sport? 

This leads me to my main thought: are sports getting too out of hand?  Webster's dictionary, in a nushell, defines sport as a physical activity requiring skill.  Why then are sports taken to the next level in so many arenas?  Sarah Burke, Canadian freestyle skiier, was killed during a practice run this past January.  After her death, many fellow skiiers commented on the fact that their sport is becomming more and more dangerous, with participants seeking steeper hills and bigger drops.  As what point do sports cross the line between physical activity and dangerous physical activity?  From where I sit, the line is getting blurrier as time passes.

Kelly Teeter - KIN 577