A very modern Omerta

Riders have made belated admissions of past doping before, but the Ryder Hesjedal confession agitates because of its obvious cynicism.

We've been there done that recently with Stuart O'Grady, who, despite his 'just that one time' admission has yet to properly front the media and give a full accounting of his career. Neither has Hesjedal.

Both are hiding behind process, press releases and their cowards castles in Hawaii or Monaco, purchased by career long deceit.

This morning there were two editorials on the big doping reveals which rung true for me, one from the editor of Canadian Cyclist the other from one of my favourite cycling blogs, De Renner. Both noticing the same thing.

What I am pointing the finger at is what seems to be a disturbing trend: get caught doing something wrong, make a public apology in a completely stage-managed fashion, don't engage, hunker down and wait it out. It is too professional, too 'cost-of-doing-business'. There is no acknowledgement of the people hurt - other athletes, sponsors, fans - no explanation, no responsibility, no attempt at atonement. No sense of visible or physical contrition. This is not an apology, it's a public relations campaign.

And.

The deals done to nail Armstrong, which run counter to principles of fairness and openness in sport, should outrage all people determined to see clean professional cycling. Testimony in exchange for anonymity, and grave confessions timed neatly to fall outside of the statute of limitations, are all too convenient. This tidy process is as well orchestrated as the entrenched, institutionalised doping it seeks to uncover.

The last line in De Renner nails it. Every attempt at contrition is sanitised for everyone's protection. Hiding more than it reveals, a very modern Omerta.

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