Boonen innocent! Hooray!

finchy
finchy Posts: 6,686
edited June 2009 in Pro race
According to researchers at the universities of Leuven and Strasbourg (which ASO uses), the traces of cocaine in Boonen's system were so teeny-weeny that he could not have been snorting the white lines, and it is more likely that he came into contact with it by mistake. This only refers to the most recent test.

I thought that he'd 'fessed up to it, though, or was that just my imagination?

Here's the Babelfish translation:

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_ur ... =Translate

Comments

  • all show no go
    all show no go Posts: 542
    Wonder if he's going to go out and party to celebrate his good fortune?!
    Let's close our eyes and see what happens
  • avoidingmyphd
    avoidingmyphd Posts: 1,154
    he fessed up, ambiguously in the translations I saw, to having a tendency to drink heavily and go a bit wild and not really know what he'd done, implying that maybe he did snort some coke, maybe he didn't, but the underlying "issue" was going on booze fuelled benders.

    which is consistent with this mysterious/convenient finding.

    but it's all a little strange still!
  • crown_jewel
    crown_jewel Posts: 545
    I find it interesting how quickly Lefevre went from saying he would no longer defend Boonen to threatening to sue the Tour if he's not invited. Anything to do with money do you think?
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Crown Jewel wrote:
    I find it interesting how quickly Lefevre went from saying he would no longer defend Boonen to threatening to sue the Tour if he's not invited. Anything to do with money do you think?

    A Boonen stage win at the Tour is worth $500K to Quick.Step. What do you think?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    avoidingmyphd wrote:
    but the underlying "issue" was going on booze fuelled benders.

    I thought that was called "being Flemish".

    Since it's Lefévère who ordered (and paid for) the analysis, in a situation where he desperately needs to get Boonen in the Tour, I'll take some salt with the conclusions. Especially since the Belgian expert is so much more forgiving than the French one.
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    johnfinch wrote:
    According to researchers at the universities of Leuven and Strasbourg (which ASO uses), the traces of cocaine in Boonen's system were so teeny-weeny that he could not have been snorting the white lines, and it is more likely that he came into contact with it by mistake.

    Sounds like the story of the guy in A&E who "fell on the bottle of ketchup, ass first, while getting out of the shower".....
  • crown_jewel
    crown_jewel Posts: 545
    Ah yes, the old "I didn't inhale" defense. We're used to that over here.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    In a press release, ASO have just said "non". Unless Lefevere risks the anger of ASO by demanding a judgement from the CAS, Boonen will not the ride the Tour this July.
  • crown_jewel
    crown_jewel Posts: 545
    Article here: http://www.velonews.com/article/93562/s ... -to-boonen

    I'm glad.
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    It's ridiculous that he can't race. Completely ridiculous.

    Everyone benefits from Boonen being in the Tour.
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • crown_jewel
    crown_jewel Posts: 545
    Actions should have consequence. This is three times. So he misses a race. Maybe this will have impact on him. I don't think the Tour will suffer from one less sprinter.

Categories