bing181

You pull out an example from 6 years ago to illustrate your point?

FWIW, I live in France - though far from Paris. The tragedy of it all, the loss and brutality, the randomness of the killings of the policemen and of people who just happened to be in the building, has shocked and touched people deeply here. Even in the small town where I live, there have been gatherings, both organised and spontaneous. As well as affecting people on a personal level, the freedom of speech element can’t be underestimated. France is a place where discourse and argument is very much a valued part of the culture, and this feels like an attack on people’s very identity, the make-up of who they are. Difficult times, with a whole country in mourning and police with machine-guns in the railway stations.

Well actually, no. It's not truth that hurts, it's narrow-minded bigotry. #11

The Theory of Everything, the film based on Stephen Hawking's life/relationships is worth a look. Remarkable acting from the two main characters playing Hawking and his first wife, Jane Wilde, mutterings of Oscar nominations etc. etc.

Ahem, having lived in Belgium for a number of years, it's both. Almost. The official name of the town is Brugge: it's in Flanders, and "brugge" is the Flemish (i.e. Dutch) word for "bridge". Bruges is the French version of the name, and the one that is used internationally - at least for the moment. Which reflects the history of administration in Belgium, which was French-speaking until the Flemish had had enough around the time of WWII. The local first division football team there (not too shabby either), is Club Brugge. FWIW, the same situation applies to a number of Belgian towns/cities. Perhaps some here might have heard of the WW1 memorial in Ypres ... though if you go there, the only signs you'll find use the official, Flemish name, Ieper. Similar towns that might ring a bell are Leuven/Louvain, Liege/Luik, and some which get rather odd: Mons/Bergen. Think of it as a bit like Ayers Rock/Uluru, or even Mumbai/Calcutta - complete with all the political subtext and baggage that that implies.

I'm in the same position, i.e. OS. Nothing to add, covered above, but as Redbeard points out, can be done through the club as part of membership. Just to reiterate, all games remain viewable, it's not just a live stream. Be aware though, they only broadcast the games themselves, with a short lead-in (10 minutes or so). If he wants full pre-post game coverage (for example), he'll have to look somewhere else.

My understanding is that if at the end of the trial they're suspended, they remain suspended (i.e. ineligible) during the appeal process (as with other sports). This from the AFL doping code: "Decisions made under this Code may be appealed as set out below. Such decisions shall remain in effect while under appeal unless CAS or the Appeals Board orders otherwise."

Agreed. And ah, the parochialism of it all. I don't know that anyone at Essendon, from the bigwigs down through to the supporters, have any sense of just how small a pond they're swimming in. WADA know that outside of Melbourne/Australia, all that anyone's interested in here is that the process is followed and that if there has been an infraction, that appropriate penalties are applied. No-one sitting in Lausanne or Montreal knows who James Hird or Jobe Watson are. Or cares.

Get over it people. Neeld has the runs on the board as an assistant. It was only a matter of time before someone picked him up. No shame in trying and failing.

Pot. Kettle. Black etc. etc.

If the players get off on a technicality, or the penalties are too light, WADA (or ASADA, with WADA backing) will take it to CAS. As they've done many times in the past. It's central to what WADA is about, making sure that local affiliates toe the line - if not, the drug laws become a mockery. Plenty of international eyes on this.

Imagine what it could have been with a full pre-season. (The only way to use Tyson or any player as evidence in this, would be to compare performance with and without a pre-season. In Tyson's case, we don't have the former.)

See above: Dank is also a defendant, along with the 34.

And to add to that, Dank is also a defendant here. If he doesn't show (likely it seems), then the "adverse inference" rule comes into play for him, the consequences of which would presumably flow on to Essendon. (e.g., if he's found guilty of possessing TB4). Charter has already said that ASADA's evidence from him is mainly documentation, and that they have all they need anyway. Hard to see how it makes a difference to ASADA's case.

THE JUDGES David Jones QC (chair, retired judge) John Nixon (retired judge) Wayne Henwood (former Sydney player, barrister)

For those who think that we've seen everything ASADA have ... http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...-afl-doping-saga/story-fnca0u4y-1227158596462 " THE AFL doping scandal is wider than previously revealed, with ASADA accusing Essendon players of taking a second banned substance and sports scientist Stephen Dank of trafficking peptides to club officials at the Gold Coast Suns and Carlton and covering up doping by a Gold Coast footballer. An outline of ASADA’s case and other documents currently before a specially convened AFL tribunal allege that Dank supplied banned substances including human growth hormone to a Carlton coach and provided the banned peptide CJC-1295 to more than one official at the Gold Coast Suns. Dank is also accused of covering up the use of CJC-1295 — the substance at the centre of the Cronulla doping case — by Gold Coast defender Nathan Bock. ASADA has not initiated proceedings against Bock, who retired from the AFL earlier this year. Despite ASADA’s belief that Essendon footballers were given Hexarelin as well as the banned peptide Thymosin Beta-4 during the 2012 season, doping charges against 34 current and former Essendon players relate only to Thymosin Beta-4. The charges involving Carlton relate to a high-profile coach no longer working at the club. ASADA alleges that Dank provided one or more of human growth hormone, SARMs, Hexarelin, Mechano Growth Factor and CJC-1295 to the coach between March and October 2012. The charges involving the Gold Coast Suns predate the Essendon scandal. ASADA alleges that in December 2010, when Dank and high-performance coach Dean Robinson were employed by the AFL franchise club, Dank covered up “the use or attempted use of a prohibited substances, namely CJC-1295, by a player at the Gold Coast Suns”.

The mechanism is not necessarily all that different, but it's accurately calibrated in watts, and sessions can be uploaded to a computer. With this, there are a number of software applications for analysis of load, work etc. etc., and you can accurately monitor and control training (loads) in a way that you just can't with an "ordinary" exercise bike. It basically takes on-bike watt technology and analysis, the same that professional cyclists use, and applies it to an exercise bike. There are easier, cheaper alternatives, but Wattbike have positioned themselves well in the market, especially as an all-in-one solution.

That's an assumption on your part. From everything I've read, it's irrelevant whether they're there or not. Charters said as much himself. I also feel that the Subpoena was just ASADA covering themselves, dotting i's and crossing t's. When it comes to sports law, ASADA have access to the best in the business. I know there's this image put around of them being some kind of Keystone Cops, but you only have to look at who's presenting their case at the tribunal to realise that that's far from the reality. In any case, the main game is Dank, and it will be hard for the players to get around his McKenzie interview/confession. Then there's the players' testimonies that they took "Tymosin", the injection schedules that match the schedule for TB-4, Alavi's forged signature, etc. etc. Rather be in ASADA's shoes than the players.

The evidence from Charter and Alavi can still be included, they just can't be questioned on it. But as Charters said himself, ASADA have all the evidence from him they need in the form of hard evidence (copies of mails, receipts etc. etc.). Difficult to see how it changes anything. There's even the argument presented here (and elsewhere), that in not joining in the Subpoena process, the players have actually weakened their case because of the negative inference that can be drawn.

To the extent that it's known what they took, the WADA code is clear. It's Dank/Essendon who have done their best to muddy the waters. Has worked with some it seems.

How any reasonable person, reading through all that, could believe that there should be no penalties is beyond me. Sometimes in these discussions people talk about the Lance Armstrong case. The evidence to convict Armstrong was never as clear or comprehensive as this.

Just for the photos. It's the reverse of what used to happen with Playboy: "I only buy it for the articles"

Players not to attend it seems. Presumably ASADA have all the evidence they need from them.

It was a good indicator of Cardiovascular efficiency and V0 max capability without lactic acid levels increasing. Fitness.

To those following these Paleo-type diets, wondering what you're doing for breakfast? Suggestions? I have two teenagers at home. We're vegetarian, have always been healthy-eaters, but do enjoy our pastas and Saturday night pizzas. Not sure how far I could push it! (A gnat's under 6 foot, 64 kg ... do a lot of fairly serious bike riding)