Illegal and TUE permitted doping is here to stay, as are the Life Sciences. Gene doping too, followed with yet more blood boosting gear.
Anyway, because sports are such an effective mass-marketing tool for global corporations, the doping issue presents a marketing hickup in the distribution channel to wholesome-baised consumers.
As are continuing felony and drunk driving arrests amongst the MLB, NBA, NFL and college football players. Steroids remains very easy to deny compared with rape, murder, drunk driving and dog fight gambling allegations.
If a doped & stress fractured horse named Barbaro can be canonized by ESPN/Disney, then another Lance Armstrong icon can surely be invented to save cycling. Nike invents TV freaks every week.
Michelle Wie has ignited men's golf and is Tiger's partner in Q ratings.
Kobe Byrant & Lebron James are Nike Gladiators of jailhouse tattoos.
Ivan Basso wore his Nike swoosh proudly before his sister Elisa & husband Eddy Mazoleni were busted in the Lombardia steroid channel marketing case, Operation Athena Gym. (stay tuned for more steroid news from Lombardia)
The marketing-based shows MUST go on--and soon newer, younger heroes will be invented. Biomarkers and hormonal passports will be introduced with fancy anti-doping retoric, but the doping will always remain in sport and in life.
Once we accept that cycling, swimming, track, baseball, football are as clean as WWE or bodybuilding, we will get back to cheering for our personal favorite doping machines and corporations.
A few people may still cling onto false hopes---but that sentiment is no longer relevant, nor remotely plausable for Grand Tour Stage racing.