Citius, Altius, Fortius
That drugstore on wheels, the Tour de France, is mercifully over — for this year, at least. The pharmacological controversy that surrounds it may be new, but the race itself is no stranger to contention. Consider:
– In 1914, in a foreshadowing of Rosy Ruiz‘ taking the subway while running the Boston Marathon, a rider was towed by a car.
– In 1924 two brothers were caught using chloroform and horse ointment to improve their results.
– In 1967 a British cyclist died after taking amphetamines.
– In 1978 a Belgian rider was found to have avoided testing by concealing a rubber bulb under his arm with another person’s urine in it.
– In 1998 an entire team was kicked out for using banned substances
– In 2002 a Lithuanian racer’s wife was arrested after poice discovered a trunk full of performance-boosters. She said it was for her ailing mother.
Swifter, Higher, Stronger indeed.
Add comment August 2nd, 2007
