| |
 |
Wednesday, August 1, 2007 |
Independent: "Gordon Brown has paved the way for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq by telling George Bush he would not delay their exit in order to show unity with the United States.
After four hours of one-to-one talks with the US President at his Camp David retreat, Mr Brown told a joint press conference he would make a Commons statement in October on the future of the 5,500 British troops in the Basra region."
Scotsman: "Mr Brown made clear that the UK would relinquish control of its fourth and final province in the south of the country, but did not give a specific date."
Well, that is amazing. If this really is true, then Brown will make a difference. I can't wait.
12:28:58 PM 
|
|
The Tour de France has lost much of its glory. Of course, that is partly due to the stupidity of riders like Landis, Vinokourov and Moreni who used doping.
But the sacking of Rasmussen is in my opinion unfair. A few years ago the media were after Armstrong and rumours abounded, but not on one occasion was found evidence of wrongdoing. So what's happening?
The commercialisation of sports is entering a new chapter. Cycle racing is seen more and more as a vehicle to make profits.
Verbruggen, ex-president of the UCI - the International Cycling Union, has proposed to establish together with the Tour organisations and teams an association to promote the financial position of the cycling world.
The Tour management in its turn has accused Verbruggen of deliberately trying to destabilize the Tour to bring the price of the event down for his buyers/investors. The Tour management has decided to cut all ties with the UCI. So it's all a matter of selling or buying the Tour.
The spreading of rumours about Armstrong and Rasmussen can be seen in this light. In the case of Rasmussen it is clear the rumours were deliberately released when Rasmussen was riding in the yellow jersey.
Rasmussen was checked fifteen times for doping and each time nothing was found. In normal circumstances a person is only declared guilty (and fired) when evidence of doping is present. But the pressure of press and UCI was made to bear on the team management. It was a deliberate concerted effort to attack the Tour and take it over.
Rasmussen's career was destroyed. His last entry in his diary is dated July 24.
12:21:06 PM
|
|
© Copyright 2008.
|
|
|
|
|
