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news
UCI logo on whitePaul Kimmage lodges criminal complaint against UCI after Armstrong defamation case against him is suspended
The cycling journalist Paul Kimmage has lodged a criminal complaint against Hein Verbruggen and Pat McQuaid of the UCI, after they brought him to the brink of a defamation lawsuit over articles about their involvement in the Armstrong doping scandal published by The Sunday Times and L’Equipe .
The counter-suing, for slander or defamation, denigration and "strong suspicions of fraud", comes just days after the UCI suspended its action against Kimmage, pending an independent investigation into the organisation's involvement in the Armstrong affair.
Kimmage wrote on Twitter: "I have lodged a criminal complaint against Hein Verbruggen and Pat McQuaid.
"I have initiated these proceedings not for myself - this is not about Paul Kimmage, but on behalf of the whistle blowers - Stephen Swart, Frankie Andreu, Floyd Landis, Christophe Bassons, Nicolas Aubier, Gilles Delion, Graeme Obree and every other cyclist who stood up for truth and the sport they loved and were dismissed as "cowards" and "scumbags" by Verbruggen and McQuaid."
A statement released by Kimmage's lawyers, Bonnard Lawson, said the complaint had been lodged with the public prosecutor in the Swiss town of Vevey.
The statement added: "Paul Kimmage complains, among other things, that he was dragged through the mud, that he was called a liar in public and accused in public of committing offences against the honour after he had obtained the publication of an interview by Floyd Landis in which the latter denounced the conduct of the highest officials of the International Cycling Union (UCI)."
Just last month, McQuaid said: “This is about a journalist who accused me and my predecessor and the UCI of being corrupt, and it’s a straightforward defamation case."
Kimmage was due in Switzerland on December 12th to attend trial, backed by a legal fund supplied by his supporters, which made over 83,000 dollars in donations.
In an open letter on his Facebook page, Greg Lemond, who now reverts to being the only American ever to win the Tour de France, said: "Pat McQuaid, you know damn well what has been going on in cycling, and if you want to deny it, then even more reasons why those who love cycling need to demand that you resign."
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38 comments
Sorry I meant that I'm sure he surely could have applied himself in a range of careers, nothing more.
Good point about the absence of questions on this thorny topic elsewhere. I'm surprised it never surfaced in the rugby biography. My guess is that he knows the vilification would be at least as bad as he has experienced in cycling. He wouldn't get very far if he tries asking and therefore won't get the next interview, therefore no job.
It's a shame he didn't reply, it would be interesting to know. Perhaps he will enlighten us in due course.
Simon, you said he could have done a lot of things so by implication I thought out knew that, sorry if I misunderstood and it was just a wild guess.
I've read a few of his other articles / interviews and it puzzles me how such a vehement anti doper never mentions doping in these interviews. He's interviewed top tennis players but didn't mention the weak drug testing policy nor links to operation Puerto. He wrote a whole book about a young guy who's rugby career was ended by neck injury,but not once did he mention the serious steroid problem in modern rugby which is contributing to the number of serious injuries. He'll happily keep quiet about other sports when he's being paid to write, but when it comes to cycling that's all he writes about, ever. Even to the point where he just throws wild accusations around like he did with that terrible piece in the daily mail about Wiggins.
You say I should ask him, I tried recently. Asked why he didn't mention it n other sports on twitter and he didn't reply
Hopefully this will see the end of a corrupt era with the removal of McQuaid and Verbruggen.
Chapeau Monsieur Kimmage!
You seem to know a lot about Kimmage and what he apparently gave up, so can you tell me what he could have been doing for the last 20 years instead of "spitting in the soup". By his own admission, he only got his journalism career on the back of his book, and apparently now he's unemployed. So what golden career would he have embarked on if he hadn't have written the book ?
colinth, did I say I knew a lot? No. Classic oppositional stance there. I don't pretend to know a lot but I try to read widely, preferably by people who know a lot more than me. Perhaps I'm wrong (does it matter?) but at least I'm open to that possibility. You give the impression that you've made up your mind.
I'm sure Kimmage has done plenty as well as writing about cycling, I've read some of it. Why don't you ask him? Ask him why he still feels the need to write about cycling.
Do you think he's a poor journalist? Do you feel it's because the book that started his career was about doping in cycling? Should that make any difference? Would he even want a "glittering" career? Sean Yates left cycling and apparently did landscape gardening until DB knocked on his door. Is that preferable? Is Yates 'better' than Kimmage because he keeps his mouth shut?
Perhaps you could ask David Walsh, who has also written a lot about doping in cycling, for another opinion.
NY Velocity interviewed Kimmage in 2009:
http://nyvelocity.com/content/interviews/2009/paul-kimmage
And for those still interested, here's a thoroughly modern review of Rough Ride.
http://www.podiumcafe.com/2012/10/1/3436624/rough-ride-by-paul-kimmage
Again, I'm not hero worshipping, I see someone trying to make things better. Your responses remind me somewhat of the mealy-mouthed "never tested positive", "Kimmage is damaging the sport" crap we've all seen before.
Lactic, I'm slightly unsure of your point as comments don't bare much relation to what I actually said.
I haven't defended LA and he deserves everything thats coming to him, but personally I don't think we should be treating dopers as heros, it just sticks in my throat to praise them. It's good that they've confessed, but that's it, thanks for the information now disappear please. I enjoyed Tylers book but it laughable that the guy who expected us to believe the dissappearing twin cr ap (even though he tries to distance himself from that now) has suddenley become Good 'Ol Tyler.
How you can call Kimmage, a doper, "honest...principled" is beyond me. Apart from the fact he was a doper, I also question his motives when he's happy to write about other sports, but has never, not once, mentioned doping in the articles, whereas that's all he ever writes about with cycling.
Clearly I've touched a nerve for daring to question Kimmage, the blind devotion to him from some reminds me of the LA fanboys
Forgive if I'm over simplifying this, but is not this David vs Goliath in a way?
UCI was throwing shit at him, saying he was full of it etc and dismissed him. Now the tables have turned and he is able to get back at them as they are no longer able to "reasonably" deny what he is saying due to the recent doping uncovering explosion?
awesome news lets hope something comes of it
Kimmage is not counter suing.
His lawyer has provided Swiss police with a 28 page document that outlines 55 examples of what Kimmage believes to be evidence of corruption by Verbruggen and McQuaid during there tenure as president of the UCI .
Most people who donated, i have not heard a negative comment from a doner, bequeathed the money for Kimmage to do something positive in cycling if the Lawsuit by UCI was dropped. He is doing that.
I think this is the most courageous act in the sport in decades.
Courageous how exactly ? Using other peoples money to take legal action ?
Better get your facts straight.
Kimmage has not used any money as Lawyers are working pro bono.
Kimmage hs also stated on radio today that anyone wanting to be refunded will be fully refunded.
Kimmage has not taken legal action. His Lawyer has passed on a 28 page document to police. Where is the legal action?
What bothers you about Kimamge gong after the corrupt head of a sporting federation?
The article says he's counter suing and Kimmage says "I have lodged a criminal complaint against Hein Verbruggen and Pat McQuaid." I'm not a lawyer so maybe that doesn't constitute legal action but to suggest he isn't taking aby legal action is pointless pedantry.
Exactly what will "going after" him achieve ? We know he's a corrupt fool but this isn't going to get him out of the sport any faster. Imho this is about Kimmages ego and keeping his profile high, standby for the next book about his "courageous fight"
What's really annoying me is that I'm sick and tired of these dopers (Kimmage, Millar, Hamilton, Landis etc) becoming self appointed moral guardians and saviours of the sport. It seems to be OK to dope if you write a tell all book. The guy who burgled my house pleased guilty and confessed to other crimes, he's still a thieving scumbag. Maybe he needs to write a book so I can hero worship him
I donated after reading Greg LeMond's open letter. I expect him to spend the money appropriately.
I think you are trying to make the facts fit your perspective. These people cheated at sport (which is entertainment) at a time when perhaps 90% of the peloton was doing the same. They didn't break into your house or commit violent crimes. And perhaps you've never met anyone who made mistakes and subsequently tried to right some of the wrongs. You might learn something if you did.
I don't know enough about Landis and Hamilton but I think Millar is genuinely trying hard to do some good. Perhaps you should spend a day or even a few very public minutes in Kimmage's shoes. He's not had an easy time in cycling over the last 20 years, he could have done a lot of things instead of repeatedly spitting in the soup.
I've never been into hero worship, I don't idolise anyone - they're all human, with their faults and weaknesses - but I have a pretty unambiguous impression that the likes of Kimmage and Millar are helping improve the sport whereas it appears McQuaid and Verbruggen are not. And more generally it's true that if you're not part of the solution you are part of the problem.
Why is empathy such a rare commodity these days? It's easy to toss insults on an internet forum. If they aren't doing it right then what would you do to change the sport?
Revenge is sweet
How the f**k can he countersue using other peoples money and come out with a statement referring to Landis as someone who "stood up for the truth and the sport he loved"?
Utter shite! He'd be better off ignoring the UCI proceedings and donating the money raised to a charity (probably not Livestrong); Kimmage seems as sanctimonious and self-serving as anyone else in this whole sorry saga.
First he's not countersuing he has passed a dossier accusing McQuaid, Verbruggen and the UCI of criminal activities to the Swiss prosecution service. Its now up to the Swiss prosecution service to order a police investigation if they see fit. Secondly I donated to his chipin fund and am quite happy for him to use the money to oust McQuaid and Verbruggen from the UCI. From the comments I have read people who have contributed to the fund support his current actions and are even donating more money for his efforts. From your comments I guess you donated nothing as you miss the whole point about Kimmage and his efforts to clean up the UCI mafiosa.
"The counter-suing, for slander or defamation,"
Doper using other peoples money to pursue his own ego trip while glorifying other dopers. Whoppee
It's not about glorifying them, it's about creating an atmosphere where people can be honest about what they have done. Yes - their participation in doping was dishonourable but they deserve some credit for admitting it (some more than others). We need to show the up and coming riders how the truth will out in the end and how much of a mess it will make of their careers if they do dope.
Whatever the motivation, going after McQuaid and Verbruggen is a good thing - in all the stories I've read, none have had a good word for them and I'm quite happy for my small donation to the defense fund to be used for this.
My hope is that this shambles goes deep enough that a proper change will be triggered. It will make cycling look even worse in the short term but it's better to sort it out properly than to keep going through this process.
My main worry is that the excessively polarised views of some people will make it impossible to come up with a working consensus on who can and cannot continue to participate in the sport. Lets face it, doping was endemic within the sport and a large number of people who have been in the sport for more than ten years will have had some level of exposure to doping whether it was active participation or turning a blind eye.
The sport needs to come up with some guidelines as to what behaviour is and isn't a bar to future participation in various roles (with voluntary disclosure taken into consideration) and that won't be easy but it needs doing. Unfortunately, I have zero confidence that the current incarnation of the UCI can contribute positively to this process.
Colinth what are you on about?
This won't get him out of the sport any faster? Errm - I think it's the ONLY thing that will get him out of the sport at all. He sure ain't moving out on his own.
You sound just like McQuaid: 'There is no place for LA in cycling...he's absolutely in the wrong...but Hamilton and Landis and these sods who let the cat out the bag are all scumbags!"
Without the constant persistence of Kimmage and a few others none of this would ever have come to light. He had to fight long and hard to get to this point, and it's only now that anyone's on his side. Like him or love him - the man's a hero. Honest, brave, principled and tenacious. End of.
And now that it IS all in the public domain, people like you are too embarrassed to publicly throw your hat into the Armstrong camp, so you mumble about how it's good that LA's finally been outed....BUT what about Kimmage, Landis, Hamilton - surely we're not gonna just let them do this with no punishment? Surely...blah blah blah!
Get over yourself. The emperor was naked. Fairies don't exist. Paul, Floyd and Tyler deserve whatever benefit they can get from this now.
Let's hope the Swiss Police take the complaint seriously and launch a thorough investigation - for Pat and Hein it's a case of reap what you sow.
Why he could not have fitted the word 'clowns' into the release I don't know!
The UCI are as bent as as......
They have been working to their own agenda rather than for the good of the sport for as long as I can remember, as far back as Obree and his record attempts.
They are so far up their own backsides that they want all race "uci frames" to have their logo on for christs sake, when they dont have any control whatsoever over the sport and have even seemingly been opening allowing doping to go on right under their noses. Screw the UCI.
Well lets be honest Pat&Hein arent going to leave the UCI on their own volition - and all of us who love the sport need those to out of it fast.
Good luck to Paul we should all support this.
Paul could always donate the money to the UCI to pay for drug testing equipment? (Didn't someone else do this?)
Muahahaha
Brilliant! Comment of the day!
Respect
This ^
May the Force will be with you, Paul Kimmage.
Looking back through David Walsh's twitter, he mentions that there will be a piece by him on LA in this week's Sunday Times. I may have to pop to the library (I am unlikely to want to pay for a copy unless it really is special). He also reflects on his own early encounters with LA and Sean Yates.
Love it, really love it.
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