A REPUTATION WORTH 71 EURO:

I saw this article on the Bike Pure website and believe this should open the eyes of every athlete no matter what their sport when the come across this point to determine which path they will go down.

A REPUTATION WORTH 71 EURO:
This may seem a bit of a fantasy but bear with me. Picture yourself, as a 33 year old ex-professional cyclist sitting on a nice chair with your 7-year-old son on your knee. He has a well read, old cycling magazine and is looking at a picture of a younger, leaner version of yourself with a big tan, a fantastic smile and arms raised in victory. The boy looks up at you and asks the golden question “Dad, why do you not ride your bike any more?”

There are two possible answers, which will resonate and follow the father for the rest of his life. I will not even vocalise the answers. It is up to you to imagine the answers, of a father if he were: (a) previously caught doping, cheating on his friends, fellow riders and fans. And (b) the answer of a father who had a career, possibly not successful but defiantly filled with memories of pride and stories of courage and effort and doing his best. Stories, which will fill the son with pride in his father and provide a school yard of stories to his friends and framed pictures on the wall. Not shame, not disgust and disgrace about past glory.

Doping is a choice for a rider. Not even an easy choice and we cannot pretend to fully understand the individual pressures forcing the decision to go down the dark path of doping. Risk of contract termination, loss of self belief...whatever the reason - we are aware, whether a rider is caught or not - the shadow of cheating, the lies and the mindset will be there for ever. Not only in your lifetime, but the repercussions will pass down, haunting the next generation.

Bernhard Kohl tested positive for the third generation variant of erythropoietin (CERA) during the 2008 Tour de France. Kohl's former manager Stefan Matschiner recently auctioned off an autographed mountains classification jersey from the 2008 Tour de France. To purchase a mountains jersey from the Tour's official website is 79 euro including postage. Matschiner received only 71 euro for the jersey and a feedbag.

The doper’s signature took 8 euros off the face value of the jersey

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