Last week Stephen Hodge announced that he took performance enhancement drugs while riding for European Team ONCE. He immediately resigned from his position of vice-president of Cycling Australia.
Hodge should be admired for his honesty that has come at great financial and personal cost. Not ridiculed. He will be removed from the ACT Sport Hall of Fame (at Hodge's request). There are many riders from the late 1980s and 1990s that are in the exact position as Hodge. Yet they hide under the veil of secrecy. Or is that the veil of hypocrisy!!!
Hodge was not forced to come clean kicking and screaming. He reached his own decision to publicly out himself. Others waited to be mentioned in testimony.
Yet Mountain Bike Australia president Russell Baker is leading a personal campaign to remove the Hodge's name from Stromlo Forest Park criterium circuit. He is taking the moral high ground. He has started a petition.
As a road cyclist that enjoys that criterium track, I totally disagree with Baker. Hodge was instrumental in Canberra having this great facility. A facility that allows our juniors to ride safely. A facility that is used by the rest of Australia.
I for one vote that the Stephen Hodge criterium circuit at Stromlo Forest Park remain as it is. Regardless of Hodge's dubious background.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/cycling/hodge-sign-is-wrong-20121026-28bf8.html
No comments:
Post a Comment