Letter to Jonathon Vaughters

Jonathon
Read your article with a little understanding of the situation you found yourself in , when you were aspiring to be a Pro Cyclist ! Those of you reading this post can refer to the article direct :

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/opinion/sunday/how-to-get-doping-out-of-sports.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Whilst it is a " Mea Culpa " it does not show how to solve the situation ! I have for some time been writiung to John Fahey of WADA and Jacques Rogge of IOC asking them to impose an " Amnesty " , so as to get ALL the Skeletons out into the open !

You with your exposure and " high Profile " could if you wished see this necessary step imposed ! No matter how many " Mea Culpa's " we see on the road to Rio , the next Olympic Games WILL BE  " THE CHEMICAL OLYMPIC GAMES " ! So many see that there are exploitable loopholes and decide that if " Joe Athlete " is able to escape detection , then it is worth the effort !

Usain Bolt comes from a country where " Random OOC testing seems to be the exception rather than the rule . His success is being unfairly questioned as a result . How many of the Brits find the finger of suspicion levelled at them ? Dave Millar was at the Olympic BECAUSE there are " Lawyers " making a substantial income from defending the undefensible , " Sporting Fraud " ! Not read Dave's book but " Rhino " as he knows i now call him , is tarred by his 2003 mistakes . I was thrilled to see his victorious Etappe at the 2012TDF , the only Breakaway that succeeded as far as i am aware . Dave inspired his companions to work together to stay away until 5km from the finish line . It would appear that those riding with him trust his judgement and thus cooperated where on other days the racers treated each other with suspicion .

CALL FOR THE AMNESTY ! You can and should demand of the " Hierachy of Sport " to ACT NOW and bring into the open ALL that transgressed in their careers . Why talk about what you did when you have the opportunity to lead from the front !

In imposing an " Amnesty " , IOC & WADA can give until , say , 1 October 2012 to disclose as an Athlete OR coach , DS , Team Owner their episodes of stepping over the line ! After that date they risk being found out by " Whistle Blowers " and LIFE TIME BANS WILL APPLY !

If 1 October 2012 , is imposed then during October / November a website will publish ALL names that stepped forward and NO PENALTY will apply ! Those disregarding this deadline risk the following possibilities !

On 1st December 2012 any Trainer/Coach , DS , Team Owner , Mechanic or Soigneur that worked with an Undisclosed Athlete will risk Life Time Bans , Also , should they not disclose what they know about those , that choose to take the risk of discovery ! There will be many who think they can escape detection and ONLY by imposing on their associates the same HARSH PENALTIES will we the public be rid of the menace of " Sporting Fraud " !

What i have proposed to those with the ability to act , is not simple , but HARSH METHODS need to be applied to rid the coming Generations of Athletes from the CRAP imposed on you in your youth , and continues to be applied to other " LESS RESOLUTE YOUNGSTERS " these days  .

You know me as a " pain in the Ass ", but do you think i needed " PEDs to ride the routes of the Grand Tours ? I didn't but then , firstly i was under no " peer Presure " , and secondly i could get off my bike to enjoy a break as and when i chose ! 15 visits to the " Le Tour " and 14 rides of the route of the Giro d'Italia as well as various other Tours toughened me up to the reality the racers have to endure . It dismays me to hear of even " shamateurs " using PEDs to gain " bragging rights " with their Buddies .

On 1st January of 2013 , i should like to think that families can deliver their offspring to Coaches / Trainers whose background has been revealed ! There will be some Coaches that will lose " prestige and clients ", but overall there will be an " Informed Public " who can choose those that will best train their charges without resorting to Underhand methods to achieve results !

Can we trust YOU to ensure the Authorities will sit up and LISTEN ?

Can we trust you to start the ball rolling to ensure that SPORT IS CLEAN ?

Have you the willpower to ensure " SPORTING FRAUD IN ALL SPORT " has had it's day ?