how do you know that? Announcement and LA staying in France. Or is your thread already the beginning of the speculations?

Interesting. Will announcement be made from France or USA?

I also read this on twitter or some news service

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this is my first response on a Lance thread (not sure what admitting that really gains me), but cant resist this hypothetical (I'm also from Idaho where we love a good conspiracy theory). What if the old 'negative attention is better than no attention' adage applies here: WTC 'signs' Lance to quest for their signature event expecting to draw major media attention to the sport, however he competes in and even wins a couple of races and the media all but ignores it, tragically the only people who seem to be aware or care that Lance isn't still prancing around Hollywood with Matthew McConaughey and Sheryl Crow are those who frequent one or two certain internet forums... So why NOT create some drama that will attract the attention of the 'what-I-thought-Robert-Downey-Junior-was-Ironman' types? The greater good and all that?

Not familiar enough with the political machinations of USADA and how WTC could possibly be the agent that kicked this whole thing off, but it is fun to think that maybe they are being super aggressive in their quest to garner the publicity to take this sport to the 'next level'.

..
I think the curator of this forum lacks courage in taking on Andrew Messick CEO of WTC

I however would beat his ass to death

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**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

Ya,LA said he was gonna leave then reconsidered in hopes he could race....amazing how many people can't use Google to find these news stories...takes 5 seconds

Wait, are you saying there's a different forum... on the internet? [/pink]

Apologies, this article says everything I said.

http://www.cbc.ca/...-tour-de-france.html

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Hopefully the moderator takes you on. You need to grab...ahold...of...the...reins.

Let me guess, you "want your country back" too?

Let me guess, you "want your country back" too?


Nice

my guess is wtc will say theyve reviewed their policy prohibiting atheltes who are under investigation from racing and realized it does not support the basic principle of 'innocent until proven guilty' and they will change the policy and let lance race...(which personally i think is fair.)

I suspect that you are right and they will say that. I also suspect that what they really mean is "We stand to lose out on a crapload of money if Lance doesn't race, so he will race until found guilty."

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

I agree with that guess and I also agree with your opinion that it's the fair thing to do.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

The WTC is in a bit of a tight and tough situation here. The first thing that needs to be understood is that the WTC is a race management and marketing company - not a sport governing body. I get the sense reading through some of these related posts and threads that more than a few think that the WTC is some form of sport governing body. It' not. It's a private for profit business! Nothing wrong with that, it's just that, it is a very important distinction to be made and understood.

They are in tough, because no matter which way they go on this, there will be howls of protest. Whatever decesion they do make, they'll need to choose their words carefully.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

They just have to play the innocent until proven guilty card and say that their rule didn't take that into account. Stupid rule by us, we're changing it.

They change their own rules all the time without any regard for what other people think. 8% rule, KPR...

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Or they will say the policy does not apply to the investigation of drug use in many years past, in a different sport, and based on a non-analytical information.

I think they will say "We reviewed the slowtwitch poll. If you say we're wrong, then we're wrong..."

oh yes, changing the rules in order to suit your needs. That'll build creditbility /pink

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

But will they care about the protests? Hell no, because they'll do what is best for them, regardless of what the "right" thing to do is.

I dont really think they need to choose their words carefully. I mean if they come out and say "well we kinda want to make it fair for the athlete in an "investigation" like this, so we want to errrr on the side of innocence until actually proven quilty". If they say that, they'll get their Lance train back into action and all the "haters" can suck it. Because guess what, all the "haters" will still tune in at some point or atleast try and find out how Lance did in regards to his Kona progress.

So, no I dont really think they have to choose their words carefully. All they have to claim is being "fair" and that'll be that.

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@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

Bing, bing! We have a winner!

WTC bases all policies on advice from STers.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

They don't even have to do that. The investigation against Lance has not officially started YET. USADA is only recommending that the investigation start. Until it actually starts, per WTC rules, Lance is free to race. WTC jumped the gun to some degree. They can retract things saying that upon further review, Lance is free to race as the investigation has not started. USAT has already clearly said this.

It's a small, but big technicality. But even if he races, this could go 2 ways....this entire ordeal drains him mentally....or he gets more fire in his belly to put the hurt on people. I'd imagine the latter.

Dev

Even in the WTCs ban it said upon further review. They even gave themselves an out.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

They change their own rules all the time without any regard for what other people think. 8% rule, KPR..

You are both right and wrong with that.

The KPR and the 8% etc are the WTC's own rules. It's like the ASO setting the cut-off time on Stages in the Tour de France. That's something that they do that's completely up to them. However, on other more universal rules in the sport, like drafting, or swim-wear, the WTC has had to apply to USAT or whatever, governing body for a compensation, specifically for their events - which in some areas, such as drafting and swim-wear, USAT has granted them those compensations or variations on the accepted and universal rules.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

You maybe right. I am not going after you personally, but this seems to be another citation to a common misconception in all of these threads of the difference between state action and individual action. Innocent until proven guilty applies to state action only, i.e. what the US and state governments can and cannot do to individuals. WTC, as a private company, can do whatever they want in regards to its customers/participants, subject to any private contractual obligations and waiver of rights contained within their rules. If WTC wants to protect their brand by banning people implicated in doping activities and wash their hands of the stench of LA, they have every right to take such action - whether they knew what they were getting into a few months ago when they signed on with him to race this year is an entirely different issue.

LA is being deprived of due process or any constitutional rights no more than I am in having WTC discriminate against me by not letting me race Kona because I am too slow and too good looking.