Cycling: the costs of elite sport. (1 reply)

Decent film on BBC 2 just now about the amazing transformation in British cycling in recent years. (Made before recent allegations about Froome). Brailsford (plus Sutton his leading coach) have transformed the UK cycling team and then through Wigginds and Froome, at Sky, at the Tour De France but all kinds of issues were raised. Including:

-Jess Varnish complained that Sutton, once in chart of UK cycling team, was a bully. Others reported sexism and other forms of chauvinism and bullying.

-Wiggins had used drugs prescribed within the World Doping agency guidelines to deal with 'pollen allergy', within rules but performance enhancing.

So, this notion of maraginal gains, at all costs, has led to brilliance at the Olympics with endless gold medals and domination of the greatest endurance sport in the World, the Tour De France. Jess Varnish wasn't improving so was dropped, some feared discrimination from Sutton and others believe Sky's use of TUEs workse wihtin the rules to acquire drugs to enhance performance. Brailsford and Sutton made it clear they would do almost anything, within the rules, to win, to be winners. They wanted winners not softness.

Is it worth such a cost?