Iced Tea
7-18-05, 1:21 PM
Pound disappointed with Conte's plea bargain
Richard Pound
Canadian Press
7/18/2005 11:56:57 AM
MONTREAL (CP) - The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency says the plea bargain agreement BALCO founder Victor Conte has reached is disappointing.
''It kind of ends up with a whimper and a very light sentence that many think is not commensurate with the gravity of the offences,'' Dick Pound said Monday during a news conference at the world aquatic championships.
Pound said his feelings were his own, and not WADA's, but didn't hesitate to criticize the agreement.
''Somebody who systematically tried to destroy the whole basis of sport by helping athletes and their coaches to cheat gets to walk away with a four-month sentence,'' he said.
''An athlete who got caught doing the same sort of thing gets two years. There's certainly a mixed message. Part of it is the difference between the regularity system of sport and the criminal justice system, but the message it not that encouraging.''
Conte pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering in a deal with U.S. federal prosecutors Friday.
If the plea is accepted by a judge this fall, Conte will spend four months in prison and four months on house arrest.
Conte, who founded the California-based Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, was charged with conspiring to distribute performance-enhancing drugs to more than 30 unidentified baseball, football and track and field stars.
Pound said it's also unfortunate that Conte's plea means star athletes like baseball players Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants and Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees plus track star Marion Jones, will likely never testify in open court about steroid use.
''It's clear BALCO had a stable of clients and a stable of athletes,'' he said. ''It's clear that a lot of them where high-profile professional athletes. They've managed to stay under the radar. I think that's an unfortunate message for professional sport in the United States.''
Pound said Jones denies she ever took any performance enhancing drugs while Conte has said he watched her inject drugs.
''Somebody is lying,'' Pound said.
I know my therapist and I have discussed my current need to see everyone punished no matter the offense but this deal is a joke, even my addled brain can see that.
The whole thing is being swept under the rug and my cynical self says what's new. :mad:
Richard Pound
Canadian Press
7/18/2005 11:56:57 AM
MONTREAL (CP) - The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency says the plea bargain agreement BALCO founder Victor Conte has reached is disappointing.
''It kind of ends up with a whimper and a very light sentence that many think is not commensurate with the gravity of the offences,'' Dick Pound said Monday during a news conference at the world aquatic championships.
Pound said his feelings were his own, and not WADA's, but didn't hesitate to criticize the agreement.
''Somebody who systematically tried to destroy the whole basis of sport by helping athletes and their coaches to cheat gets to walk away with a four-month sentence,'' he said.
''An athlete who got caught doing the same sort of thing gets two years. There's certainly a mixed message. Part of it is the difference between the regularity system of sport and the criminal justice system, but the message it not that encouraging.''
Conte pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering in a deal with U.S. federal prosecutors Friday.
If the plea is accepted by a judge this fall, Conte will spend four months in prison and four months on house arrest.
Conte, who founded the California-based Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, was charged with conspiring to distribute performance-enhancing drugs to more than 30 unidentified baseball, football and track and field stars.
Pound said it's also unfortunate that Conte's plea means star athletes like baseball players Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants and Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees plus track star Marion Jones, will likely never testify in open court about steroid use.
''It's clear BALCO had a stable of clients and a stable of athletes,'' he said. ''It's clear that a lot of them where high-profile professional athletes. They've managed to stay under the radar. I think that's an unfortunate message for professional sport in the United States.''
Pound said Jones denies she ever took any performance enhancing drugs while Conte has said he watched her inject drugs.
''Somebody is lying,'' Pound said.
I know my therapist and I have discussed my current need to see everyone punished no matter the offense but this deal is a joke, even my addled brain can see that.
The whole thing is being swept under the rug and my cynical self says what's new. :mad: