Australian Sport's Blackest Day: Instructive.

The sky is falling in Australian sport. The peptide raindrops are flooding the fields of the Australian Football League and the dark water is running over the parched ground, doubtless leaving few sports in the dry. Indeed, it may only be a matter of time before the same level of doping is revealed in sport in the UK.

Fingers in the socket.

Meanwhile, in the sparkly clean world of cycling….

The MPCC (Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible), whilst extending its membership, albeit provisionally, to such exemplars of clean sport as Katusha, Lampre and Astana, are considering taking legal action against THE INFAMOUS BANDIT JUAN PELOTA for damaging cycling’s image and fraud.

Firstly, the idea that such a motley crew could sue in such a fashion is laughable, (and I’m no legal expert but I’d suspect…) fanciful, and irredeemably hypocritical. Even if they were to succeed, how could teams that have knowingly encouraged doping, supplied PEDs, enforced omerta and been principle cogs in the machinery of destroying cycling possibly receive damages? It would be the ultimate serving of injustice and naked self-interest.

Twitter invariably collapsed into apoplectic fits of rage. Bleeding Edge made the point that there appears to be no organisation capable or credible enough to clean up cycling, and in lieu of concerted action from the seeming minority of clean cyclists, save for the minutely small band of riders willing to put themselves on the line and speak up (Robert Gesink, Marcel Kittel et al), this would seem to be the case.

Here is where the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) through their year-long investigation into doping in Australian professional sport reveals its message. Their findings that coaches, sports scientists, support staff and athletes across the range of sports are involved in the provision and use of drugs seemed, whilst shocking, nothing new. The real star of the show is the role of organised crime syndicates in the supply of the drugs.

What this reminds us, many of whom either aren’t aware of forget, is that doping is not something that begins and ends within sport. Granted, the role of Amgen in the rise of EPO has garnered publicity, but it is rare that we (and in that we I include those who, rightly, expend efforts to uncover the truth about doping in cycling specifically and who are highly visible on Twitter) remember that doping involves the often illegal supply of drugs.

The wider debate about the morality and legalization of recreational drugs is one filled with shades of grey: the criminal status of people who choose to smoke marijuana is one that sparks vigorous and wide-ranging debate. The debate on doping specifically however, is, thankfully, more clear-cut. Aside from the more outlandish voices that would want to legalize doping and “level the playing field”, most would agree that the use of PEDs is wrong in an absolute sense. Bleeding Edge firmly agrees with this point of view. Now, having established this we might continue on to say that doping is in its essence a crime. The argument that “it’s only sport” extends only so far: doping, as is evidenced by the case of THE INFAMOUS BANDIT JUAN PELOTA, fraud. Doping is drug trafficking. Doping is witness intimidation. Doping is medical malpractice.

Doping therefore, is something that far outstrips the scope of the agencies in place to enforce it.

Let’s tie this all together…

Doping is a criminal offence in France. They have been known to throw birds in the cage until they sing (Festina, David Millar). It’s amazing the power of the French police and a stark jail cell. This is not reflected in the wider sporting world. Yet, what agencies fight doping? What groups fight to rid sports of its shackles? Admirable national anti-doping agencies such as USADA and umbrella organisation WADA do. But, in cycling’s case, there are few, if any, other bodies capable or credible enough to do the job, with the MPCC making fools of themselves yesterday.

If we are to view doping as it should be, as a criminal endeavour, then the actions of the ACC are instructive. ASADA were not the main player here, it was an arm of law enforcement. WADA are underfunded and under-resourced to wage such a war. The next step that the battle against doping must take is one to reframe the argument – and change the law. A difficult task for sure, considering the range of laws and number of countries involved, but until doping is treated as a true crime, in the same way that any kind of fraud should be, we will not see change.

In short, what we learn from Australia’s blackest day in sport and the chaos in cycling at the moment is that doping must be considered a crime, categorised legally as a crime, and investigated as a crime, taking into account the criminal elements that are so vital in sustaining it.

But you knew that already…

Get rowdy @_BleedingEdge_ or in the comments.