This is also not about whether or not France is passionate about bike racing. Of course it is, as I well know from 18 years of living in France.

I’ve repeatedly pointed out the faults of the UCI, A.S.O., etc. But the subject here is French government agencies ahead of the November vote on Pound’s replacement. The question I have for you is: Why should these agencies not be held accountable? As one independent French journalist pointed out in 2003, it is interesting that LNDD director Jacques de Ceaurriz “had no recollection” of being summoned to the French Ministry in the middle of the controversy surrounding the alleged ordered non-testing of the French soccer team before the 1998 World Cup, won by France. There are other examples but more recently there are serious questions about LNDD’s relationship with WADA.

It is true, as we’ve noted before, that Lamour’s counterpart in Spain, Jaime Lissavetsky, has questions to answer about their handling of OP. But Lamour, who was French Minister of SPORT, had a chance to help bring out the broader truth about OP. When even L’Equipe TV asked Lamour in late 2006 for an update on OP, Lamour responded that he had “no new information” since the ouster of Ullrich, Basso et al on the eve of the 2006 Tour de France! He either knew the truth but didn’t want to share it with the public or he didn’t care to know the truth. Either way, the man who very possibly will replace Dick Pound at WADA had a key role in making OP about cycling and nothing else.

Fortunately, many in France are the first to criticize Lamour, ASO, L’Equipe, etc. In fact, those most adamant about defending them tend to be furthest away from France.

Let’s get the truth out there, demand transparency from all sides, and then we can decide whether or not something is really important. As it is now, we tend to only have “official versions” of what is going on from government agencies, international and national federations, etc. We should encourage, not discourage, attempts by journalists to investigate more than just the athletes. There are so few who dare do so as it is. Just as few sports journalists want to investigate the athletes they cover, for fear of losing access, few journalists on both sides of the Atlantic are willing to investigate government.