Hey Dick - Go Pound Wood

How many times does World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound have to make accusatory statements based on his opinions and suspicions - lacking supporting evidence - before that agency does something to muzzle him?

His leadership of this agency, and the agency itself didn't hit my radar screen until he accused up to one third of NHL players of being on performance enhancing substances back in November of 2005. Back then of course there was strong reaction from the NHL, the NHLPA and the players themselves. Not to mention the cold reaction of hockey fans in general. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Day had this to say :

"I would respectfully suggest that Mr. Pound's comments have absolutely no basis in fact," Daly told The Canadian Press. "I find it troubling, to say the least, that he would find it necessary to comment on something he has absolutely no knowledge of."

Executive Director of the NHL Players' Association Ted Saskin followed with :

"Dick Pound's comments are incredibly irresponsible and have no basis in fact," said Saskin. "He has no knowledge of our sport and our players and frankly has no business making such comments."

Some prominent players added their thoughts :

Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames - "I think it's unfair."

Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers - "We don't have any troubles here. I don't know what goes on around the league, but I talked to a few players and by and large I think this is false information."

Matthius Ohlund of the Vancouver Canucks - "I've played for eight years and I haven't see anything around our team," said Vancouver Canucks defenceman Mattias Ohlund. "I'm sure there will be some out of 700 who are taking something but to say that there's one-third is obviously ridiculous."

Now ol' Dick is at it again after some cross-country skiers were found to have high levels of hemoglobin just days prior to the Olympics. The International Ski Federation(FIS) has listed 12 skiers as having the higher levels, and has stated that the higher than normal levels of hemoglobin were most likely caused by high altitude training.

Dick Pound, obviously a previously unknown expert on how altitude affects the human system says :

"This is not a particularly high altitude. If you went to Machu Picchu (in Peru) for nine months you might get it..."

and :

"They (FIS) might be afraid that they are not able to prove that they were drugged."

Perhaps he went through the same 'diplo-speak' training as the Bush Administration....make an accusation which isn't supported by evidence, and then use the fact that the accused cannot prove the accusation false as proof you are right.

This is like me saying that you killed your neighbors cat, and you must have done it unless you can show me your neighbors cat alive. Of course I made the accusation knowing full well that your neighbor doesn't have a cat and never did.

This type of blame/negative-proof game has worked fairly well for the Bushistas - take Iraq having to prove they didn't have WMD's. Let's see how it works for Dick.

For a world body which obviously would like to be taken seriously, they certainly don't seem to understand that they risk becoming 'a boy who cried wolf' too many times to be taken seriously if they don't ensure they have proof to back up their public accusations.