UCI World Tour Cycling team Argos-Shimano have issued a press statement calling for a change in the culture of cycling.
Their statement reads as follows: "Last autumn competitive cycling came under great pressure after the USADA report’s revelations. Team Argos-Shimano felt that this pressure created the right momentum for all stakeholders to realise the necessity for a change in culture. The team therefore asked Rudi Kemna, who in his career as cyclist had experienced this culture, to pinpoint the nature of such a culture in which cyclists are faced with the choice of whether or not to choose doping and to indicate ways in which teams can offer their athletes a safe alternative environment in which there is no place for medical manipulation.
Team Argos-Shimano appreciates the transparency Rudi Kemna displayed and hopes that this will have enough impact to contribute to the most significant task that is facing competitive cycling at present: that for this and the next generation of cyclists, match outcomes can only be determined on the basis of talent, efforts and tactics, supported by modern coaching, guidance and innovation.
With this target in mind, Team Argos-Shimano, its sponsors Argos Energies Shimano and coach Rudi Kemna decided at the end of November to reveal a bit of reality by means of an interview with NU Sport in which former sprinter Kemna shared his own experience.
Kemna declared that during his active career as a rider, he had used a banned stimulant (EPO). The existent culture in competitive cycling, but also in Kemna’s former team, promoted the use of banned substances. Although the prevailing culture and peer pressure certainly influenced his slip, Kemna takes full responsibility for his actions and thoroughly regrets them.
Ever since he was young, Rudi Kemna set himself the objective of practicing his sport in a clean manner and reproaches himself for the compromises he made, however short-lived they were. He feels ashamed when he looks back. The use of doping took a heavy toll on Kemna’s mental wellbeing. Inner struggle and fear of consequences led to high stress, panic and a swift decision to stop using and to continue his career in a clean manner.
Kemna felt that the presiding atmosphere in one’s direct cycling environment can have such an impact that it can override one’s own convictions and will to practice cleanly and fairly; one’s principles come under threat by what is informally promoted by the atmosphere and culture within a team. His finding played a crucial role in the choice of teams with whom Kemna continued his career and influenced the way in which he has fulfilled his role as coach for Team Argos-Shimano in which, with all his might, he fully supports a team policy of practicing competitive cycling cleanly. Kemna has made a huge contribution to this goal from the beginning and as team leader put all his efforts into creating another type of culture, in which openness resides and in which doping and medical manipulation are not an option. The innovative and credible 1t4i-top sports environment (team spirit – inspiration – integrity – improvement – innovation) constantly being developed by Team Argos-Shimano, proves to be a successful alternative to banned substances. Operating in a top sports environment that houses plenty of expertise from outside and few coaches from the traditional cycling world, the team of Iwan Spekenbrink, coaches and riders, have, since the beginning of the project 2008 – on the simmering remnants of the Operación Puerto-case, which partly revealed the culture of medical manipulation and doping in cycling – been fighters for a credible sport.
Team Argos-Shimano, believes that the only way in which a genuine rehabilitation of credibility in professional cycling can be achieved is through really changing the culture. To change a culture in which doping use was possible and was even stimulated is an enormous challenge and calls for perseverance of all involved.
Team Argos-Shimano and its sponsors observe that good initiatives have been taken since Operación Puerto, ones that brought a counterbalance into being; working against the prevalent culture where riders are given more space to practice their sport successfully at the highest level in a clean, healthy and successful manner. But the team and its sponsors are worried about the cycling world’s latest reactions to the USADA report’s revelations, reactions that are marked by a cramped handling of reality, instead of just recognising that the revelations are powerful and to continue by pursuing the primary goal of creating a renewed cycling world for this and the next generation of cyclists.
It seems normal that since Operación Puerto, cycling teams are mapping their riders and employees’ backgrounds and that riders and coaches demand this. To provide more background, Rudi Kemna as the first person appointed in 2008 was the only person within Team Argos-Shimano who declared to have encountered doping during his career. Kemna furthermore stated that he thought it appropriate for him to be struck off after publicly sharing his experiences, simply because doping is not allowed and Kemna does not want to dodge his own responsibility, thereby also giving a signal to the outside world. The team respects this request and will lay off Kemna on the same basis as the penalties stated in the agreement between the two other Dutch cycling teams and the Dutch Cycling Union.
Team Argos-Shimano and its sponsors call on all stakeholders in the cycling profession to join in supporting these efforts and to realise important changes together, so that the cycling profession can look forward to a healthy future."
Team Argos-Shimano appreciates the transparency Rudi Kemna displayed and hopes that this will have enough impact to contribute to the most significant task that is facing competitive cycling at present: that for this and the next generation of cyclists, match outcomes can only be determined on the basis of talent, efforts and tactics, supported by modern coaching, guidance and innovation.
With this target in mind, Team Argos-Shimano, its sponsors Argos Energies Shimano and coach Rudi Kemna decided at the end of November to reveal a bit of reality by means of an interview with NU Sport in which former sprinter Kemna shared his own experience.
Kemna declared that during his active career as a rider, he had used a banned stimulant (EPO). The existent culture in competitive cycling, but also in Kemna’s former team, promoted the use of banned substances. Although the prevailing culture and peer pressure certainly influenced his slip, Kemna takes full responsibility for his actions and thoroughly regrets them.
Ever since he was young, Rudi Kemna set himself the objective of practicing his sport in a clean manner and reproaches himself for the compromises he made, however short-lived they were. He feels ashamed when he looks back. The use of doping took a heavy toll on Kemna’s mental wellbeing. Inner struggle and fear of consequences led to high stress, panic and a swift decision to stop using and to continue his career in a clean manner.
Kemna felt that the presiding atmosphere in one’s direct cycling environment can have such an impact that it can override one’s own convictions and will to practice cleanly and fairly; one’s principles come under threat by what is informally promoted by the atmosphere and culture within a team. His finding played a crucial role in the choice of teams with whom Kemna continued his career and influenced the way in which he has fulfilled his role as coach for Team Argos-Shimano in which, with all his might, he fully supports a team policy of practicing competitive cycling cleanly. Kemna has made a huge contribution to this goal from the beginning and as team leader put all his efforts into creating another type of culture, in which openness resides and in which doping and medical manipulation are not an option. The innovative and credible 1t4i-top sports environment (team spirit – inspiration – integrity – improvement – innovation) constantly being developed by Team Argos-Shimano, proves to be a successful alternative to banned substances. Operating in a top sports environment that houses plenty of expertise from outside and few coaches from the traditional cycling world, the team of Iwan Spekenbrink, coaches and riders, have, since the beginning of the project 2008 – on the simmering remnants of the Operación Puerto-case, which partly revealed the culture of medical manipulation and doping in cycling – been fighters for a credible sport.
Team Argos-Shimano, believes that the only way in which a genuine rehabilitation of credibility in professional cycling can be achieved is through really changing the culture. To change a culture in which doping use was possible and was even stimulated is an enormous challenge and calls for perseverance of all involved.
Team Argos-Shimano and its sponsors observe that good initiatives have been taken since Operación Puerto, ones that brought a counterbalance into being; working against the prevalent culture where riders are given more space to practice their sport successfully at the highest level in a clean, healthy and successful manner. But the team and its sponsors are worried about the cycling world’s latest reactions to the USADA report’s revelations, reactions that are marked by a cramped handling of reality, instead of just recognising that the revelations are powerful and to continue by pursuing the primary goal of creating a renewed cycling world for this and the next generation of cyclists.
It seems normal that since Operación Puerto, cycling teams are mapping their riders and employees’ backgrounds and that riders and coaches demand this. To provide more background, Rudi Kemna as the first person appointed in 2008 was the only person within Team Argos-Shimano who declared to have encountered doping during his career. Kemna furthermore stated that he thought it appropriate for him to be struck off after publicly sharing his experiences, simply because doping is not allowed and Kemna does not want to dodge his own responsibility, thereby also giving a signal to the outside world. The team respects this request and will lay off Kemna on the same basis as the penalties stated in the agreement between the two other Dutch cycling teams and the Dutch Cycling Union.
Team Argos-Shimano and its sponsors call on all stakeholders in the cycling profession to join in supporting these efforts and to realise important changes together, so that the cycling profession can look forward to a healthy future."