Originally posted by hemplands
Am I the only person around thinking that the ASO Amory Sports Organisation is getting too big for its boots. It controls the TdF, all the World Cup races and Paris-Nice and others, and seems to have more power than the UCI, and how much further is the net going to be cast? Who's the real power behind the throne?
A.S.O. does not control all the World Cup races but "only" three of the 10 World Cup races!
Here is a list of all the races controlled by A.S.O.:
http://www.letour.fr/calendrier2004us.html
The three World Cup races organized by A.S.O.:
Paris-Roubaix
Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Paris-Tours
http://www.uci.ch/modello.asp?1stLevelID=AA&level1=1&level2=1&idnews=1860
Bjut I agree with you that A.S.O. is contolling too much in pro road cycling.
I think it is a big problem that A.S.O. excludes a team like Kelme from all A.S.O. races because of the doping rumores from Manzano.
This can ruin a team like Kelme, even if it turns out that Manzano is lying about the doping at Kelme.
Kelme is alredy punished before there have been any proofs and verdict. Kelme haven't even been put on trial yet.
Kelme is alredy punished big time because of statements of one person, who haven't showed any proofs yet.
I think they should wait to punish Kelme until (and if) Manzano can prove anything.
Every rider can ruin a team he gets fired from this way by starting rumours, if there doesn't need to be any proofs before the team is exclude from all races.
Teams can get afraid to fire anyone because of the harm a rider can do to the team, by starting rumours even if they are not true.
I'm not saying that Manzano is'nt telling the truth (I don't know if he is), but I think they should wait to punish anyone before they know who is telling the truth.