And so the Corporate pull out begins

[jon avery]

Maybe Smithkline Beecham could take over from Skoda.

[-Adam-]

or glaxo smith kline....

I know somebody that works for them, ill have a word!

[Will]

I know lots of people who work for Pfizer, so will suggest it to them too

[siwickm]

I actually hope that they don't get a sponsor and the prize money goes down a lot and people switch off their TVs. I think that the whole thing stinks and before people start throwing money at this sport it needs to be cleaned up.

I have cancelled my sky subscription and will not be getting Eurosport anymore, I have decided to not bother watching pro cycling on TV anymore as it is just too disappointing to have got all excited about something to then see that it was down to chemical assistance.

Take the money away and maybe these guys will start to think twice.

Cheers

Marek.....

[siwickm]

When the sport is defined by those who react best to the drugs they take as opposed to ability then I think my comments still stand.

EPO is a drug that can be used to help treat medical conditions, but I bet if you dug deep enough you would find that a large percentage of EPO sales are being made to so called sports doctors.

Have a read of Marco Pantanis biography. I am convinced more than ever that all the pros have either been at it or are at it now. And if you look at the people involved at the higher echelons of the sport they have all been at it in the past, so how are we going to weed it all out?

cheers

Marek...

[John Cochrane]

Some degree of sponsorship in motor racing is the norm. Even for competitors in entry level championships, without it most could not compete.

In the main in works well, with little corruption. However, it has been my experience that as a championship attracts more sponsorship for the competitors then I see more evidence of, shall we say, trying to circumvent the regulations with imaginative interpretations.

One of the worst cases, I experienced was at Brands Hatch, a few years ago, where, at the last round of a minor championship, a car took the chequered flag and instead of coming on round at clearways turned off onto the grand prix circuit. Round the back of the circuit out of sight he then set fire to the car.

When we investigated this incident it came to light that the competitor's sponsor had told him that if he did not take the chequered flag at that meeting then there would be no sponsorship for the following season. It was of no matter to the sponsor that subsequently the driver would be disqualified. As far as he was concerned he had his picture of his company's logos on the car taking the chequered. Because of the pressure on him, the competitor had "doctored" his car and decided to try covering this up by destroying it.

Sponsorship is with us for good or evil, in all sports, and I guess we have to live with it and do our best to enforce the rules.

[Grahame]

Phonak have pulled out as well, the theam owner has decided to disband the team.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 793965.stm