Thanks for taking on this issue, The Cycling Podcast have occasionally talked around it too. Completely agree with your point that is is impossible to prove you are clean. The biological passport does not prove a positive case just an unexplained situation.
The whole TUE subject was big for a while but that has gone quiet. I don’t for one minute think no positive tests proves too much other than a concern about the effectiveness.
It does appear that the rampant doping is much harder (I almost wrote impossible).
I have followed cycling since the early 1980s and have come to the conclusion that I just need to enjoy the sport for what it is which,might be defeatist !
Good post, Joe. This is a sensible point to make: "how is a rider supposed to prove that they are clean?". If the people who throw a blanket over the whole sport and say everyone's doping don't have an answer to that, then they can't rationally hold their position. There is obviously doping still going on. But I think it's also pretty obvious its not endemic either. The people (trolls/fans/journalists/riders/managers) who are claiming the sport is as bad as it was in the 90s and 2000s are likely to be conspiracy theorists. They will probably only ever argue in bad faith and aren't out to change anyone's mind - they're out for in-group approval.
Thanks for taking on this issue, The Cycling Podcast have occasionally talked around it too. Completely agree with your point that is is impossible to prove you are clean. The biological passport does not prove a positive case just an unexplained situation.
The whole TUE subject was big for a while but that has gone quiet. I don’t for one minute think no positive tests proves too much other than a concern about the effectiveness.
It does appear that the rampant doping is much harder (I almost wrote impossible).
I have followed cycling since the early 1980s and have come to the conclusion that I just need to enjoy the sport for what it is which,might be defeatist !
Good post, Joe. This is a sensible point to make: "how is a rider supposed to prove that they are clean?". If the people who throw a blanket over the whole sport and say everyone's doping don't have an answer to that, then they can't rationally hold their position. There is obviously doping still going on. But I think it's also pretty obvious its not endemic either. The people (trolls/fans/journalists/riders/managers) who are claiming the sport is as bad as it was in the 90s and 2000s are likely to be conspiracy theorists. They will probably only ever argue in bad faith and aren't out to change anyone's mind - they're out for in-group approval.