Flavio Becca knows a shrew trick when he sees one.
The founder and financial backer of the Leopard team, now the merged RadioShack-Nissan Trek squad, noted two facts that Twisted Spoke reported a month ago. The possible connection between Saxo Bank’s training camp in Israel and the fact that one of the three judges deciding Contador’s fate at the Court for Arbitration in Sport is an Israeli.
Becca put is this way. “When I saw that in the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) commission, an Israeli judge will decide the fate of Contador and soon after discovered that Saxo Bank has its own training camp in Israel, I do not think we are on track,” said Becca to Le Quotidien.
Twisted Spoke thought the move was another brilliant strategic ploy by mastermind Bjarne Riis. He was thinking out of the box and leaving no stone unturned to get his best rider — and the finest stage race in the world — off the hook for clenbuterol.
Given the high stakes, it made perfect sense that Riis would try everything and everything. He is a sharp, innovative and clever guy.
Becca put the two facts together and saw the obvious attempt to influence the outcome. Chapeau Becca. Saxo Bank’s training camp – hardly a regular destination for WorldTour teams – ran from November 29 to December 11.
The three judges are: Quentin Byrne-Sutton of Switzerland, Ulrich Haas of Germany and the Ephraim Barak of Israel. Worth noting that it’s Barak who is the president of the commission. All the more reason to do your base miles in Israel.
“An Israeli judge will issue a ruling on Contador, and Saxo Bank is doing its training camp in Israel, even being officially received by the Government. There are two facts that can not be separated,” said Becca.
Still, Twisted Spoke says at the bare minimum Contador’s 2010 Tour de France victory is as good as gone. Congrats to Andy Schleck and sorry about the asterisk.
Interesting post, but I don't agree with the praising tone of this: "Given the high stakes, it made perfect sense that Riis would try everything and everything. He is a sharp, innovative and clever guy."
Methinks you give him too much credit – he's someone who will bend the rules in any way he can to suit himself… It's right that this is highlighted, but not that he appears to get a thumbs up for his behaviour