[DRB]

Uh Oh!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/jun08/jun10news

Belgian super star sprinter, Tom Boonen has allegedly been caught in an out of competition test for cocaine, according to Belgian newspaper HLN.be. The out of competition test allegedly occurred three days before start of the Tour of Belgium, where Boonen won the final stage.

The Belgian paper also reported that the homes of Boonen's parents and girlfriend in Postel and Lore respectively were searched last night. The non-negative test has also not yet been confirmed by the UCI. Boonen's Quick Step team was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.

This is not the first time that Boonen has been linked to the drug. Last December, his good friend and cyclo-cross star, Tom Vanoppen was caught by the Flemish doping controllers with cocaine. During questioning Vanoppen allegedly named Boonen as his dealer, a claim Boonen later denied. Following the claim, Boonen's parent's house was searched.

Boonen's brush with the law does not stop there however. Just last week, he lost his drivers license for the second time in six weeks. On Tuesday night he was pulled over by the police travelling at 180-km/h in a 90km/h zone on the Mol ring road. He had a blood alcohol reading of 1.0.

Six weeks earlier he lost his license for 14 days for travelling 120km/h in a 70km/h zone. In 2006 Boonen was the face of the Belgian roads and traffic Authority, promoting safe driving.

 

[ire]

blow and hookers...

 

[James]

Oh snap!
This is BAD NEWS for Quick Step, and their sponsors...
Wow.

 

[maddog17]

so the Queen award for another one bites the dust goes too......

 

[sanjuro]

My hero!!!!!!!

 

[Kihaji]

I also read he just lost his license for a 2nd time this last week.

 

[DRB]

However, it probably won't lead to any sort of governing body racing ban. What Quick Step does is another matter.

Paris-Roubaix champion Tom Boonen, one of Belgium's biggest idols, is standing in hot water following the confirmation of a positive anti-doping control for cocaine on May 25. Though the control will likely not involve a suspension, it does not make it easy on the 27 year-old's Quick Step team, who are in the hunt for a new sponsor.

The test results, controlled by the Vlaamse Gemeeenschap (Flemish Community), were confirmed and will be sent to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Cycling Union (UCI). Cocaine is forbidden within races, but as the control was taken three days before the start of the Tour of Belgium, where Boonen went on to win the final stage, he is likely to avoid a racing ban. Even though the Vlaamse Gemeeenschap will not issue a suspension, the UCI could impose a stop of up to two years.

Is Boonen – winner of two editions of the Paris-Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen, and the 2005 World Championship title – too much of a liability as Team Manager Patrick Lefevere hunts for a new financial supporter? The team and Boonen are meeting today in light of the recent news and more details are expected soon.

 

[Westy]

I'm Shocked,they didn't wait until the day before the TDF to release this.

 

[ire]

I'm Shocked,they didn't wait until the day before the TDF to release this.

Or until his next major win so they could negate it

 

[Heidi]

There goes the golden boy image the media has tried to portray. It doesn't matter though..he's from Belgium, they will worship him even more now!

 

[OGRipper]

This really is news. It's the first sign that Boonen is actually human and not a friggin droid or something.

There goes the golden boy image the media has tried to portray. It doesn't matter though..he's from Belgium, they will worship him even more now!

Yep, some will anyway. Just like Museeuw. And Meirhage.

 

[Westy]

Sprinters really do like to be the first to get to that white line.

 

[Jeremy R]

Ah, Coke is no big deal, it worked out well for Pantani.

 

[Cant Climb]

Why are they searching mom and dads house....?.....does he still live at home..

Is he still dating the teeenager.....?

 

[Jeremy R]

Why are they searching mom and dads house....?.....does he still live at home..

Is he still dating the teeenager.....?

But on weekends, he can stay out to 11:30.

 

[Westy]

But on weekends, he can stay up to 11:30 AM.

Fixed.

 

[ire]

Ah, Coke is no big deal, it worked out well for Pantani.

not really he OD'd

 

[Jeremy R]

not really he OD'd

Clear da way for:

 

[Serial Midget]

Yeah - roadies are total bad-asses. :thumbsup:

 

[Secret Squirrel]

not really he OD'd

Little slow on the uptake there, champ.

 

[Heidi]

not really he OD'd

pssssst - I think he was being sarcastic

 

[ire]

damn, I'm getting an internet beat down

 

[SPINTECK]

I wondered if he lived at home too.

Tomeka!!!!!Tomeka!!!!!Tomeka!!!!!

Downhillers can keep their weed, Euro roadies have higher standards

 

[Secret Squirrel]

damn, I'm getting an internet beat down

Yeah....but it's in the roadie forum, so the damage is minimized.

 

[James]

damn, I'm getting an internet beat down

YOU SUCK!

 

[ire]

Yeah....but it's in the roadie forum, so the damage is minimized.

Yeah you bunch of leg shaving, spandex wearing..........

oh...

wait a second.....

 

[DRB]

apparently coke is okay with everyone except the Tour de Suisse.....

Tom Boonen (Quick Step) will not be allowed to start the Tour de Suisse, race organisers announced Tuesday. The decision follows the Belgian sprinter's positive anti-doping control for cocaine on May 25 and could see the entire team thrown out of the Suisse event, in addition to placing a question mark over Boonen's Tour de France start.

"We want to make a point and emphasise that we will not put up with any rider who behaves that way," Tour director Armin Meier said. "It doesn't matter to us whether it is a world star or any other rider."

However.... everyone else

Belgian Tom Boonen will not be sanctioned by his team for his positive cocaine test, it was announced Wednesday morning at a press conference in Wielsbeke, Belgium. The 27 year-old Quick Step rider apologised for his actions and said that he would take a short break from competition. The team continued to show its support for the sprinter, as did the sponsor, which prolonged its contract.

I'd said we are keeping him but no racing for 45 days while we stick his ass in a treatment program, drug testing him all the time and another failure he's out on his ear. No they didn't do that they went ahead and reupped him for another 3 years. Guess they got those years a bit cheaper now.

He does not face any sporting sanctions by the International Cycling Union (UCI) nor his national federation.

I'll be interested to see how the ASO handles it if at all.

Tour delegate director Gilbert Ysern was the one who called Rabobank during last year's Tour de France and convinced the Dutch bank to take its rider out of the race. After hearing the news about Boonen's positive case for cocaine, Ysern said the Tour wouldn't follow the Tour de Suisse's lead.

"We're not going to act like our colleagues from the Tour de Suisse," he said. "We will wait and see which position Boonen and his team will take. We'll see if he admits the facts, if he asks for a counter analysis, or if he steps down for the next few weeks."

Following the news of Boonen's test it's understandable that ASO doesn't want Boonen to defend his green jersey this year. But ASO hopes the Paris-Roubaix winner will be sidelined by his employer, rather than it being forced to take preventive measures.

Nor did he admit that he actually did it. Way to go Tom, you rule.

 

[ire]

I'm not suprised that he won't be sactioned, remember a few years back when Simoni tested positive for coke and he said it was becuase of a shot recieved at the Dentist? Doing blow isn't going to enhance your performance any, but it does hurt his team's, and his, public image

 

[Jeremy R]

Too bad there is not a Tour of Amsterdam.

 

[DRB]

Too bad there is not a Tour of Amsterdam.

There is but since it rarely makes it 100 yds past the start reporting on it seems like a waste.

 

[Jeremy R]

There is but since it rarely makes it 100 yds past the start reporting on it seems like a waste.

Everybody stops at the first feeding station, forms a circle and breaks out the bongos.

 

[James]

Is anyone here really surprised that one of the biggest stars of cycling isn't being sanctioned? Interested how Quick Step just left the team association, with it's "code of ethics" that would compel them to can him...

 

[DRB]

Is anyone here really surprised that one of the biggest stars of cycling isn't being sanctioned? Interested how Quick Step just left the team association, with it's "code of ethics" that would compel them to can him...

To be honest I am a little bit. I figured someone would step up to the plate and give him the business. Its not like they have to deal with a union or anything.

They might have left the association with the code of ethics BUT they did sign a code of conduct that all Tour teams signed....

Reporters, however, asked the team director about the good conduct charter signed by all teams participating in the Tour. Lefevere said he believed that it was sometimes a little "heavy," without saying whether he thought it applied or not to Boonen's case.

The charter stipulates that each team participating in the Tour gives their commitment not to field a rider who could damage the image of the race.

Again I wonder how the ASO deals with this.

 

[sanjuro]

"I will take it easy the coming days and get control of my emotions. Fortunately, I know that I can still count on a lot of support. I know that I can count on the confidence of my team, for which I am very grateful. I also hope for the support of my fans. I assure them that I will stand on my own two feet and that they can count on my unconditional commitment."

He indicated that he would take a short break from racing, but did not state how long that might be, and did not make himself available to answer questions.

"Nobody is perfect," said Team Manager Patrick Lefevere. "We will keep a close eye on Tom but he will certainly remain with the team." He then announced that Quick Step had prolonged its sponsoring contract for an additional three years. "The sponsors continue to have confidence in the team and in Boonen," he added.

Take a short vacation.

 

[James]

To be honest I am a little bit. I figured someone would step up to the plate and give him the business. Its not like they have to deal with a union or anything.

They might have left the association with the code of ethics BUT they did sign a code of conduct that all Tour teams signed....



Again I wonder how the ASO deals with this.

The Tour has said they're going to wait and see, which means that he's in I bet.

 

[sanjuro]

“Tom is and remains a great champion, for this reason we have great faith in him for the future. Things would have been very different if it was a doping problem,” said Quick Step CEO Frans de Cock. “What happened is a personal and private matter. As far as we are concerned, we are proud to continue our sponsorship. We are and remain the biggest sporting sponsors in Belgium.”

I just added that because of the name of the QS CEO. I think I found my new fake name.

 

[OGRipper]

I guess I'm just jaded at this point, but I'm am not the least bit surprised that Quick Step has no plans to sanction - they barely give cursory lip service to riding clean. As for ASO being inconsistent - hmmm, not exactly big news.

Anyone else wonder how the Astana team is going to feel when Boonen gets more stages at the Tour?

 

[James]

I just added that because of the name of the QS CEO. I think I found my new fake name.

That's similar to mine: Guille LeCoque.

 

[Westy]

Boonen not welcome at the Tour according to Velonews.

Honestly this is going too far. What he did is obviously illegal but not against cycling rules. If they were going to give him crap for doing illegal things they should have done it when he got a DUI, if you aske me that is worse as he was endangering other people like um cyclists.

 

[James]

Boonen not welcome at the Tour according to Velonews.

Honestly this is going too far. What he did is obviously illegal but not against cycling rules. If they were going to give him crap for doing illegal things they should have done it when he got a DUI, if you aske me that is worse as he was endangering other people like um cyclists.

I have to say, I'm a little surprised, but happily so.
I agree about the DUI, it should be part of the "moral guide" that the Tour that the teams signed.