Even though Bjarne Riis admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the 1996 Tour de France, he won't lose the title because of the pro cycling's 8-year statute of limitations.
At least the Union Cycliste Internationale should adopt using an “*” after his name and other cheaters as in:
“* — Admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs after the statute of limitations had expired, therefore the title remains on the books but means nothing.”
Even though Riis, currently part owner and manager of Team CSC, will be able to keep his title, the UCI is asking that he return his yellow jersey as a symbolic gesture. (More at CyclingNews.)
When the former Danish cyclist on the German Telekom team made his admission on Friday, he said:
“My jersey is at home in a cardboard box. … They are welcome to come and get it. I have my memories for myself.”
The statute of limitations means there will be no restacking of the 1996 Tour de France finishers. When I checked yesterday (“Who gets the 1996 Tour de France title?”), I discovered the 2nd and 3rd place finishers that year have been linked to doping, and the 4th place finisher rode for a team notorious for doping.
Meanwhile, a total of 7 members of T-Mobile have come clean and admitted they doped during the mid 1990s. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has asked all cyclists to come clean.
Deutsche Welle says one of the “positive aspects” of these admissions is that it could mean a “reprieve” for German cyclist Jan Ullrich. They write:
“The Office of Public Prosecution in Bonn, which is handling the case, says it will review its evidence in light of the new admissions, and analysts say the charges could even be dropped.
“One prosecution spokesman explained that the original case had been prepared under the assumption that the T-Mobile directors didn’t know about the doping practices — something that’s now unclear.”
More from world of doping
— Fast forwarding to the 2006 Tour de France, the Floyd Landis case ended Friday at Pepperdine University. Now the American gets to wait while a three-judge arbitation panel decides whether he'll get to keep his yellow jersey from the 2006 Tour de France. Extreme details at Trust but Verify.
— The Italian Olympic Committee is recommending a 21-month suspension for Ivan Basso. The 2006 Giro d'Italia winner admitted an involvement with the target of the Operacion Puerto drug probe, but said he never actually doped.
— Joe Papp, the American cyclist who admitted to using testosterone and testified to its beneficial effects in the Landis trial, has been suspended for two years, retroactive to last July. He tested positive for synthetic testosterone after a bike race in Turkey.
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