The only reason Challenge gave it a second thought is because they got slammed on social media and then they just put the blame on ITU/ETU and the Austrian federation. Sad. So much for their ethics. They could simply refuse to host races for ITU/ETU if it really went against their ethics but that will never happen.

That's a big part of the problem.

A bigger part of the problem is that federations continue to support these athletes because they come back, still stronger, and compete which in turn benefits the federation. You can bet the Austrian federation is celebrating "rehabilitating" "retraining" and "restoring" an athlete to becoming European Champion. If punishment extended beyond the athlete into the federations (funding cuts) then the federations might actually care a little more about what their athletes are doing. Heck they might even start testing them :)

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Please credit AlwaysCurious for the shop work

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Internet User

Apologies, I did steal this from Twitter and did not credit him.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

She might have won the race. She will never be a champion.

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He who understands the WHY, will understand the HOW.

I think it is fine. She did the crime and served the time.

I want them to let Lance back in triathlon too!

That is a bit unfair. Challenge has always maintained a strong anti-doper stance at their races.
They have told athletes that have served doping suspensions they are not welcome.
When the ETU champs were awarded to the Challenge race (likely 12-18 months in advance), do you think they knew Lisa was racing? Not a chance.
This might dissuade Challenge from hosting further ITU events though.

You either care about clean sport or you don't.

I have a poem for you:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Prime example of "I don't give a damn about anything until it affects me" attitude.

John

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Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |

They may not know who is showing up but they know a different set of rules apply to former dopers and can say no thanks. They'll turn away a doper or two to one of their races when it does nothing to the bottom line.

Maybe this will change based on the feedback they got, but in reality another race organizer will simply step up to the task.

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

I agree.

FWIW - She did serve her time.

But what do you do with people like this who really push the envelope, beyond the envelope, and really don't seem to care?

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

More photos of Lisa in The Week in Pictures thread.

Agree 1000%.

But I'm someone who will never see a podium. If I was competing to win, may disagree. As a fan, Lance+Tri=win. More coverage, more sponsors, better coverage. Think WTC would have had live feed at 70.3 WC's if LA was racing????

No, they turn dopers away when they are not bound by ITU rules, regardless of the bottom line.

As much as I hate dopers, Lisa served her time and is allowed to race. However, Lisa is not welcome at non-ITU Challenge events.

No, turning away 1-2 dopers does nothing to the bottom line of a race. Turning away the ITU/ETU does. They went for the money over their ethics.

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

See Post 9

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Fixed.

What would you have them do? Cancel the race?

It's not like the ITU swoops in and forces the hand of the RD. The ITU doesn't force you to host their races, in fact you have to bid on them. They went for the money, knowing full well what the rules are and that they are in conflict with "their ethics".

Again, I don't blame them, another RD would have gladly taken the money.

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

Once again, they could not have known when bidding for the race that someone like Lisa would show up. It was a possibility but not a certainty.
There was no ethical conflict when the bid was done.

That's probably the one of the grossest things I've seen on here.

They know their rules, they know the ITU/ETU rules. They know it is a possibility, it is not like they are oblivious to the athletes on the various national programs. They accepted that. They faced backlash. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that. But...

They claim to have a higher level of ethics but only when it doesn't affect the bottom line.
Not bidding/hosting this would have affected the bottom line.
Kicking out 1-2 dopers from their other races does not.
You cannot claim to have a higher level of ethics when you are doing the same thing that everyone else is doing.

The aggravating part is somewhere the Austrian federation is patting themselves on the back for "producing a European Champion".

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

I don't think sports and people ending up in gas chambers are quite on the same scale. It seems a touch disrespectful to compare the two.

I'm with NordicSkier here. How many such athletes are there that would have showed up? How many that don't fall into that category? They might as well just stop hosting any events.

I'm not saying they shouldn't host the events and if it wasn't them it would have been WTC or some other race organizer. But don't try and claim that they were "forced to abide by the ETU rules" and that they have a higher level of ethics, they don't.

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

I think I see what you're saying now. You're saying that money overrode their "ethics" meaning that they don't actual exist but rather that they will do what they have to to maximize their revenue.