News
Mountain Bike

Overend calls for cycling's dopers to be treated as criminals

published 16 January 2013

Dopers are thieves deserving jail punishment

Comments

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Image 1 of 3

Specialized rider Ned Overend getting ready for his world championhip race in Louisville, KY(Image credit: Craig Dooley)

Former World Champion Ned Overend (Specialized) took on many man less than half his age(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)

The legendary Ned Overend came out to watch(Image credit: Tour of Japan)

Mountain Bike Hall of Famer Ned Overend called for stricter treatment of cyclists who are busted for doping, saying that they should be treated as criminals.

Mountain bike legend Overend to host NorCal CycleFest

IMBA Honorary Board welcomes Overend, Rusch to new roles

Armstrong set for tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey

Report: Armstrong confesses to doping during Winfrey interview

Armstrong interview extended to two nights on Oprah Winfrey Network

U.S. government rejects Armstrong's $5 million offer in whistleblower case

"My opinion is, it needs to be a crime to cheat in sports, to take drugs in sports. Unless they make it a crime, they're going to have a hard time controlling (doping)," Overend told the Durango Herald on Tuesday, two days before the broadcast of the Oprah Winfrey show which will feature Lance Armstrong's doping confession.

Overend drew an analogy between doping cyclists and criminals who steal. "You'd want that person to be charged with a crime," Overend said. "And it's not just Lance. I'd put all the guys who cheat together with Lance. To me, all the guys who cheated are thieves, and they made millions."

The six-time NORBA national mountain bike champion and 1990 mountain bike world champion isn't interested in hearing the excuse that everyone was doping at the time. Instead he points out that some of the dopers effectively stole several hundred thousands of dollars from racers who didn't cheat by doping.

"That's a crime and needs to be made a crime, so these guys would be going to jail," said Overend.