Freiburg report dumps on big name T-Mobile riders and systemic doping

These are allegations against a culture of doping in one prominent team, a culture that was almost certainly eradicated after a climactic period of exposure and scrutiny in 2006. I must stress also that these are allegations only; that they must be investigated thoroughly before firm conclusions can be drawn. For mine there are too many questions - indeed inconsistencies - surrounding exactly who took what, and where, and why some newly hired riders were considered 'outsiders' and shunned, whereas others were "in". One obvious newcomer - Sinkewitz - was inducted into the system, yet Bartko was isolated, for example.

Having said all of that, it's undeniable that we expected something to come out of it, and it's probably exactly as most of us thought: it wasn't just Ullrich (not that Jan has ever admitted it, we only have the purported DNA link and heaps - bags even - of allegations). And yet it's strange that Ullrich is implicated elsewhere, not directly with this Freiburg issue. It was a systemic issue for the team, but not a consistent one?

Experts investigating the procedures of two Freiburg University Clinic doctors who worked for cycling team T-Mobile allege German rider Andreas Kloeden doped during the 2006 Tour de France.

That's not just an allegation against Kloden, either: The issue returned to prominence last fall, when Patrik Sinkewitz said that he - and possibly others - had driven to Freiburg for illegal blood transfusions during the 2006 Tour de France, only days after team captain Jan Ullrich had been suspended for his connection to Operación Puerto. The report found that doping within the team essentially began when the team was formed and continued relatively unabated through to 2006.

The allegations go back to 1992. That's a lot of riders, some of whom are still prominent in the peleton today, indeed are current Top 10 Grand Tour favourites. It covers EPO, testosterone and blood doping, plus 'magic elixirs', the contents of which are not known.

As always, expect the worst and hope for the best!

Valverde out of Le Tour b4 it even starts... does the Puerto circus begin again?

Hot on the heels of Boonen's cocaine bust (the count now up to 3, by the way) comes another star losing his shine. We may have thought this one a foregone conclusion, indeed he can't say the Italians weren't communicating their intentions... Alejandro Valverde received a two-year suspension from the Italian anti-doping tribunal today in Rome for his connections to the 2006 doping investigation Operación Puerto. The decision prohibits the Spaniard, 29, from racing in Italy and the Tour de France, which passes through the country this year.

He will most likely appeal against this Italian ruling and does claim innocence in any case. The bigger question is what does the UCI do, faced with a Spanish rider banned not by his own governing national body, but by another? Do they take this further and resolve it - which would seem logical - or let it rest? I suspect they'll wait until their hand is forced, either by the appeal itself or pressure from the parties concerned. But they'd be better advised, surely, to get to grips with the broader issue of the DNA evidence that this case rests on and act now. With Operation Puerto festering like an open wound the Italians have clearly telegraphed their intent to test and pursue those accused as soon as they step onto their territory. If the blood bags and the connected DNA evidence are available, and if the case is legally and ethically strong, why not pursue it?

Boonen caught for cocaine use again - out of competition. Foolish, yes, but does it really matter?

This is really annoying, both because it's a distraction as the first Grand Tour of 2009 gets underway and because Tom Boonen has so much to lose, for so little reason. We can presume it's been taken for recreational reasons, but he's not the only one (in the wider community) to do so is he? He is however a huge role model for kids in Belgium, as well as for much of the cycling world. So it matters, but not so much that it should get this much attention, surely? Does he need counselling? A cocaine habit is one thing, but the guy gets caught - twice - out of competition. Which indicates he has some self-control, but not enough to pull free. (So why risk everything, Tom?) It's not for performance-enhancement, it's just a guy with fame and money being tempted by an illicit drug... and giving in. He's young but adult enough to cop the consequences; he's also famous beyond belief in Belgium, cashed-up and probably a target for all sorts of people with trash to peddle. Let's hope some perspective is kept here.

Tom Boonen has been suspended by team Quick Step following his second positive control for cocaine, taken on April 27, in Belgium following the Spring Classics. The 2005 World Champion could face criminal charges for violating the conditions of his suspended sentence for cocaine use.

Setting Boonen aside for a moment, this is a community issue, not just an athletic one. Athletes are in the spotlight and performance enhancement is arguably viewed as 'cheating' by many, and certainly so by the established, traditional media as well by many of the 'clean' athletes themselves. And there are good arguments to control such substances, not just for sporting fairness but for the athlete's health. But does recreational cocaine use - illegal though it may be - really constitute such a threat to our wider society, one that justifies the resultant media frenzy? Unfortunately the media have a stake in both creating and destroying these role models, a conflict of interest that just won't go away.

Cabreira successfully appeals protease charge, 2nd time lucky

Well it sounds like a technicality, but it was enough to get him off...

Cabreira was suspended for two years in February for "tampering with a doping control sample". He was accused of using an enzyme called protease to defeat a doping control. The enzyme is able to break down traces of EPO in the urine. According to Lusa, Cabreira appealed the penalty on the grounds that the control had been conducted according to "methods not approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency" and that the offending substance "was not part of the list of banned products." It is the second time Cabreira has defeated a doping case on appeal. In August, 2008 he was suspended for ten months for failing a doping control, but the suspension was overturned on appeal.

If I understand this correctly, and I may not have a complete view, the appeal was won firstly because of irregularities in the way the sample was taken, leaving some doubt over who may or may not have altered the sample; and secondly because the enzyme in question is not a performance-enhancing substance taken by the athlete and thus listed as a banned product. Seems to me it should be listed, just as masking agents are (although in this case the agent is used outside of the body). Seems also logical that adding an enzyme - or anything, really - is tantamount to tampering with a sample. However in this case there was doubt, and the athlete quite rightly is given the benefit.

Katusha team rider Pfannberger accused of taking.. something

We just don't know what it was... yet.

Christian Pfannberger confirmed that he was told he had given a positive doping control, but denied that he had taken any forbidden substances. The Austrian national champion was suspended by Team Katusha Wednesday after the team was informed of the positive test.

I guess we'll read more about this in time.