After months of whispers in the back rooms of cycling’s elite, the newest tool in the battle to fight doping in cycling was unveiled to much confusion amid the decries of its implications to current legislation.
UCI Security Forces show off new doper detainment camp (photo courtesy Reuters)
Called the “Arbitrary Doper Detention Legislation,” cycling’s newest law gives the UCI the power to classify anyone in the pro peloton as a doper and detain them indefinitely for their transgression without requiring proof of the infraction.
“The biological passport program and the random drug testing has not proved to be effective. The other challenge is the fact that we do not have the financial resources to push these cases through the system. We already know who the dopers are, this just expedites our process,” commented UCI President Pat McQuaid.
The alarming part of the legislation also gives the UCI jurisdiction over “amateur racers throughout the world, as well as anyone who rides a bicycle.” The interpretation from legal experts is that the UCI will now have arbitrary power to designate a commuter riding to work as a “doper” and jail him or her indefinitely for the alleged infraction.
WADA president David Howman was concerned with this development.
“I will do my best to veto this dangerous piece of legislation that the UCI has called ‘Protecting the Best Interests of All who Bicycle’ as it infringes on basic human rights and civil liberties,” declared Howman.
McQuaid was resolute in the legislation, “We had a several secret ballots, and a public vote by the UCI Congress which overwhelmingly passed the legislation 93-7. I think that tells us that everyone is in favor of this important piece of lawmaking designed to preserve our sport for future generations.”
Professional cyclists around the world were alarmed over the development, however none were willing to go on record stating their displeasure for fear of reprisals.
Cycling civil rights advocate Herbie Sykes offered his opinion on the matter succinctly,”I’m trading in my bicycle for a moped. Thankfully the wording says ‘bicycle’ and not ‘two-wheeled vehicles’ which still gives me some freedom.”
The legislation is expected to be active beginning January 1st, 2012.
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[…] Deep Throat’s name and modus operandi to some young hack as we speak. Who knows? So, following Frank Mercer’s recent exclusive on the Arbitrary Doper Detention Legislation, this week your correspondent has decided to dig a little deeper into some of the details of the […]