Umfrage » rough this all year long. You get a couple back, another one

LONDON -- The independent panel investigating doping in cycling hopes the chance for reduced bans and even immunity will encourage witnesses -- including Lance Armstrong -- to come forward. Tasked with shedding more light on the sports tainted past, the three-man commission, which is also investigating whether cyclings governing body colluded with Armstrong, has the power to propose reduced sanctions against testimonies. It has been set up with the approval of the World Anti-Doping Agency and will be able to seal deals with cheats offering valuable information. "The reduced bans will obviously apply to people who have not been already sanctioned," commission chairman Dick Marty told a conference call on Tuesday, adding that immunity could also be granted in some cases if the information is of "great importance." Armstrong has already been banned from Olympic sports for life but can still hope his case will be reviewed if he gives substantial information to the panel based in Lausanne, Switzerland. "For those who have already been punished and are still willing to give important information, the commission can advise the competent authorities to reconsider and shorten their bans," Marty said. The panel, which had a UCI-funded budget of 3 million Swiss francs ($3.35 million) was a key element in the manifesto of Brian Cookson, who was elected UCI president last year after defeating Pat McQuaid. It started its work on Tuesday with the aim of producing a comprehensive report within a year. "Its not just about learning from the past, its also learning lessons for the future so we dont make the same mistakes," Cookson said. The commissions main job is to determine how the culture of doping was able to flourish within cycling and to "discover the main providers and facilitators of doping in cycling" since the Festina affair in 1998. Armstrong has said he would co-operate with any international commission on doping in cycling. He has so far refused to provide sworn testimony to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, whose detailed report in 2012 of drug use by Armstrongs U.S. Postal Service team led to him being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. Cookson did not say whether Armstrong or former UCI presidents Hein Verbruggen and McQuaid had been contacted by the commission but added they would be more than welcomed. The UCI and Verbruggen have been accused of protecting Armstrong and helping cover up his doping. The American might be interested in co-operating after telling a British newspaper last year that Verbruggen helped him cover up doping at the 1999 Tour de France. Verbruggen dismissed it as a "ridiculous story." "There will an invitation to anyone who comes forward," Cookson said. "To anybody, Lance Armstrong or anybody else. Please come forward and offer your information to the commission. ... This is a window of opportunity." Both Marty and Cookson said confidentiality will be granted to witnesses but all the criminal offences compiled will be transmitted to the relevant authorities, whichever the country. They added that negotiations will take place with possible witnesses ahead of their testimonies in order to determine if the information they can provide justifies a reduced ban. "There can be preliminary discussions but until the evidence has been heard it is impossible to determine the amount of sanction reduction," Cookson said. "The reduced sanctions will only apply for the period that the commission is operating, and the danger is other people will come forward. If anyone has something to hide now is the time to come forward and tell all of the truth before someone else comes and tells the truth about your activities." The other members of the commission are German anti-doping expert Ulrich Haas and Peter Nicholson, a former Australian military officer and war crimes investigator. Los Angeles Lakers Gear . Jackson Houck added a goal and two assists for the Giants (28-23-10), who halted a five-game slide, while Tyler Morrison, Mason Geertsen and Dominik Volek each scored once. Matt Bellerive scored both goals for the Blazers (12-43-5), who are 1-9-0 in their last 10 outings. Stitched Lakers Jerseys . - Chris Davis hit a two-run double, scoring Nelson Cruz in his Orioles debut in Baltimores 9-7 win over to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/ . Players suspended during the season for a performance-enhancing drug violation will not be eligible for that years post-season. In addition, discipline will increase from 50 games to 80 for a first testing violation and from 100 games to a season-long 162 for a second. A third violation remains a lifetime ban. Wholesale Lakers Jerseys . The 90-plus minutes of play are about trends and approach. Los Angeles Lakers Store . About seven hours before facing Washington in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference second round series, team officials said the oft-injured Bynum would miss the rest of the playoffs and would not even be with the team for the rest of the post-season.DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Wayne Taylor had no intention of racing again when he climbed out of the cockpit following his last start in the Rolex 24 at Daytona four years ago. Then he was given a rare opportunity to race with sons Ricky and Jordan. The 58-year-old Taylor will briefly end his retirement Saturday to drive one stint in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette in the twice-around-the-clock endurance race at Daytona International Speedway. Hes part of a four-driver lineup that includes his sons and team co-owner Max Angelelli. "Im doing this because Im able to be with my kids, and with Max, and Id probably never have this opportunity again," Taylor said. "How many people get this chance? Its amazing. For the family, it is truly an amazing thing and something later in life we will be able to talk about and it will never be able to be taken from me, irrespective of the result." The chance came about late last season when Angelelli saw Ricky Taylor struggling in his first season driving for Spirit of Daytona. Ricky and Angelelli had been teammates for three seasons before Ricky moved on, and younger brother, Jordan, filled the seat. While Jordan and Angelelli were on their way to the Grand-AM drivers championship, Ricky wasnt having much success. So Angelelli offered to step aside this year — hell drive only in the four endurance races — to give his seat to Ricky and allow the brothers a chance to race as teammates. "Max was the one who brought it up midyear last year when Ricky was having a rough year," Jordan said. "We were having such a good year, and it was hard to see Ricky having such a bad year and Max said You know, Im OK to step out of the car next year if you want to have him join Jordan. Once that kind of started it, everyone got excited about the idea." It was a selfless gesture by Angelelli, who was a co-driver with Wayne Taylor for their 2005 Rolex victory. Wayne Taylor also won the race in 1996, and his boys — who are now 24 and 22 — celebrated wildly in Victory Lane. "Max and I have been together for a long time, we won championships and racess together and the 24 Hours together, and hes like a big brother to the boys," Wayne said.dddddddddddd "When there was a possibility that Ricky could come back, and prior to that the boys never ever wanted to drive together but they do now, Max came to me and said Wayne, I know this is difficult for you, but let me make this easy for you: I am going to step aside to put Ricky in the car. "It was amazing. I dont think Id have ever gone to him and asked him. I may have, but he brought it up. It made it a lot easier." For Ricky, theres a lot of pressure in returning to the team that not only won the driver championship in Grand-AM last season — the series merged with American Le Mans this year to create the unified Tudor United SportsCar Championship — but the team also finished second in the 24 Hours last season. Angelelli and Wayne Taylor were vocal last year in that Chevrolet was at a disadvantage to BMW, and the Corvettes seem to have the speed edge this year. Its got some believing the Wayne Taylor entry could be a race favourite should they go the distance. "Weve all been answering lots of questions about what its like driving together — past that, its probably the biggest 24-hour Ive ever done," Ricky Taylor said. "Im driving with Jordan, really, for the first time but, after three test sessions, it already seems like weve been teammates for a whole year. Its a cool feeling for us to hand the car off to each other." The verdict is still out on how it feels for Wayne Taylor. Hes not used to being the slowest driver on the team, and while having both his boys in his car seems ideal, hes not certain his blood pressure can take it over the course of an entire season. "It is so stressful," he admitted. "It is so incredibly stressful when it is your kids. When it is one, you are so stressed and then they get out of the car and turn it over to another driver and you get time to relax. Now I have both of them and there will be no time to relax. But to have them both together, wanting to race as teammates, I guess its living a dream, you know?" ' ' '