Being Belgian I've decided to compare the several European media in the past few weeks. The French, German and Belgian television have launched an extreme hate campaign against Rasmussen. Journalists kept repeating that Rasmussen had to be thrown out of the Tour. I thought: Fortunately the media can only dirty up someone's name, but they still can't play judge.
Today the media have played judge. Rasmussen has been thrown out of the Tour without evidence, without a right to defend himself. Cassani hasn't seen Rasmussen in Italy; he has heard someone (Rolf Sörensen) say that Rasmussen was in Italy.
Today a cyclist doesn't have democratic rights anymore. You're guilty if the French don't like you. ASO and the French, Belgian and German media have launched an extreme hate campaign against "Osama Bin Rasmussen, Public Enemy Number One". They ignored all facts, they ignored all rules. They just threw him out because they don't like him. Officially Rabobank threw him out itself, but that's a lie. Rabobank was behind Rasmussen, and was forced to throw him out. This will never be officially admitted.
If I were a cyclist, I would refuse to take part in races organized by the ASO. If the Tour has no cyclists, the Tour doesn't exist. All riders who continue the race without Rasmussen say: "I have no problem with a French Inquisition that ignores all democratic rules, that punishes riders without a right to defend themselves, without evidence, without a trial. I think it's OK when cyclists are treated this way."
Vinokourov, Moreni and Sinkewitz deserved to be excluded, because they had a positive tests. Rasmussen, Ullrich, Basso, Klöden, Kashechkin, Petacchi and many others have been excluded for no reason. They are victims of the French Inquisition.
I won't watch the Tour de France anymore. If Rasmussen is not allowed to start, I don't care who wins. Cycling has been killed, not by doping, but by the hysteric reaction to it. The French Inquisition has killed cycling.
Today the media have played judge. Rasmussen has been thrown out of the Tour without evidence, without a right to defend himself. Cassani hasn't seen Rasmussen in Italy; he has heard someone (Rolf Sörensen) say that Rasmussen was in Italy.
Today a cyclist doesn't have democratic rights anymore. You're guilty if the French don't like you. ASO and the French, Belgian and German media have launched an extreme hate campaign against "Osama Bin Rasmussen, Public Enemy Number One". They ignored all facts, they ignored all rules. They just threw him out because they don't like him. Officially Rabobank threw him out itself, but that's a lie. Rabobank was behind Rasmussen, and was forced to throw him out. This will never be officially admitted.
If I were a cyclist, I would refuse to take part in races organized by the ASO. If the Tour has no cyclists, the Tour doesn't exist. All riders who continue the race without Rasmussen say: "I have no problem with a French Inquisition that ignores all democratic rules, that punishes riders without a right to defend themselves, without evidence, without a trial. I think it's OK when cyclists are treated this way."
Vinokourov, Moreni and Sinkewitz deserved to be excluded, because they had a positive tests. Rasmussen, Ullrich, Basso, Klöden, Kashechkin, Petacchi and many others have been excluded for no reason. They are victims of the French Inquisition.
I won't watch the Tour de France anymore. If Rasmussen is not allowed to start, I don't care who wins. Cycling has been killed, not by doping, but by the hysteric reaction to it. The French Inquisition has killed cycling.