World’s in Chaos the Month Before the Race

No Comments | August 30th, 2007 | Trackback

worlds Last year, I attended the World Championships in Salzburg and even though the sport was still reeling from what we thought was a pretty crummy year (of course, given this year’s scandals, last year now seems like child’s play) it was an incredible event. There is something special about competing in the name of your country that brings out the best in athletes. This year’s World’s, however, are already waist-deep in controversy.

First organizers told Erik Zabel he wasn’t welcome, after he admitted to doping in 1996. Zabel got 2nd place last year to Paolo Bettini, so was certainly to be considered a top contender coming into this year - especially since this year’s event is on his “home turf” and he’s probably looking to retire in the not-too-distant future, but wants a rainbow jersey before he does. Germany has decided to name him to their roster anyway, which doesn’t make the organizers very happy.

Then the UCI sent a similar message of unwelcome-ness to Alejandro Valverde, who came in 3rd last year, after “the meticulous studying” of papers related to the Operacion Puerto case (yes the one from last May) leads them to believe Valverde might be more tied up with that old mess than he’s said. His coach calls it “an outrage,” of course, but I’m not sure that’ll help.

Now WADA has withdrawn from the organizing committee of the event after a kerfuffle with the UCI. According to the report, “There were no WADA representatives at Tuesday’s meeting of the steering committee, responsible for over-seeing drugs tests during Stuttgart’s four-day event at the end of September.” World’s organizers are stressing that there will still be rigorous drug controls for the event, whether or not WADA is participating, but that can’t be happy news for the steering committee.

I’m not heading to World’s this year (dammit), but I can’t help but wonder whether it will be the heart-warming event it was last year.