[The Sausage]

However why did Wild Country and Scarpa choose to sponsor him if there was so much doubt about his credentials? Why the sudden change of heart as from what you and Percy are saying there was no evidence before and there is no evidence now. From an outside perspective none of this makes any sense.

I don't think companies are asking for proof of ascents. What seems to happen in these situations is that it gradually seeps out over time that nobody has ever witnessed climber X doing an actual ascent. We're not talking about lack of video proof, and I'm only speaking generally here because the facts haven't been verified (were Dai's 'crew' there for the AD ascent?)

At that point, doubts are voiced and then the burden shifts to the climber in question to do nothing more than name a belayer. It's not difficult. I mean, I have done nothing impressive ever, but I could provide witnesses and/or belayers/spotters for pretty much anything I have ever done. I could tell you who belayed me on Resurection in 1994.

[Snoops]

I've never met RS.
Seems to me very clear - that there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that he is bullshitting about some of his achievements.
Also seems very clear that there are a few apologists, whose main theme is that we should give him the benefit of the doubt.

It also seems very clear to me that if someone (RS in this case) is going to claim all these (some of them incredible) achievements, he needs to provide a bit of backup (otherwise known as evidence).
Seems clear to me that there is not one tiny bit of this evidence.

In summary I find it incredible that not one belayer can stand up and say 'I was there'.
On a side issue - some would say you shouldn't have to  need to video ascents etc. However if you can find the time to video clips of yourself working AD, you would go back and get a clip of you climbing it.(Especially if you were a said person calling bullshit and criticising others for lack of evidence at the time  )

I'm an atheist, when Jesus appears I'll start going to church.
When I see some evidence I'll believe RS has done this stuff.

Snoops

[Barratt]

Personally I would rather the matter be settled in a more dignified manner than a on an internet community forum, since when has it been acceptable to carry out character assassination without the contribution of the guy himself?

This all seems a bit 'reality tv' and is representative of everything I dislike about faceless online communities.


Or maybe I woke up in a bad mood...

[shark]

I phoned ABAE (The Amateur Boxing Association of England). The records of previous members are held at a regional level. Would he have boxed in the West Midlands ?

[Ru]

Why don't you ask Alex Messenger which boxing club he took photos of Rich fighting at that were published in Summit?

[dave]

Personally I would rather the matter be settled in a more dignified manner than a on an internet community forum

I'm sure we'd all love to sit in the drawing room of a country house in button-backed leather armchairs smoking a pipe but it ain't gonna happen.

[Johnny Brown]

I would rather the matter be settled in a more dignified manner

What exactly do you have in mind? Personally I would rather everything was in the open so folk can assess the 'facts' and form an opinion. I'd far rather that than just being told he's been dropped by his sponsors, with them offering no public explanation.

[shark]

Why don't you ask Alex Messenger which boxing club he took photos of Rich fighting at that were published in Summit?

Cheers. I'm on it.

[Ru]

In fact why don't you just contact Rich?

[shark]

Because it would be an utter waste of time. As Percy said he's not providing evidence to his sponsors on request why on earth would he provide it to me.

[slackline]

'Cause UKB is far more prestigious than Wild Country or Scarpa 

[Barratt]

My work place is an old country house, that has button backed arm chairs... my god what have I become!?

[Ru]

Because it would be an utter waste of time. As Percy said he's not providing evidence to his sponsors on request why on earth would he provide it to me.

Perhaps it would. You'll never know if you don't try. And askings easy.

[dave]

My work place is an old country house, that has button backed arm chairs... my god what have I become!?

If they ever want to freecycle any of 'em, hit me up.

[Baldy]

since when has it been acceptable to carry out character assassination without the contribution of the guy himself?

Well I believe he has been invited to this conversation,
where do we stand if he chooses not to join in...?   

[Nigel]

I couldn't decide whether to to get involved in this but in the end thought, fuck it, so....

This is a lot different to the Scotty situation as clearly Rich is/was strong enough to do the feats achieved of him. Also worth pointing out that a lot of these rumours get spread as hard facts by people who hear them second/third hand. For example, I recall that Si Moore saw RS do Hubble, no? Yet many people on this thread have included this as an 'unwitnessed' ascent. I think the responsibility for this lies firmly with the doubters (I.U.P.G and all that), so maybe someone who knows Si should check with him?

I don’t want to get involved in this either Stu, but I think I can stretch to clearing your query up. At the time myself, Doyle, and Si were working together on an access job in Leeds. I quite clearly recall Doyle getting a text from Rich just before we joined the motorway saying that he’d just done Hubble. Given that we always set off at half six then this must have been at about a quarter to seven-ish in the morning? Si was in the car so I’m certain he didn’t witness this.

[Barratt]

since when has it been acceptable to carry out character assassination without the contribution of the guy himself?

Well I believe he has been invited to this conversation,
where do we stand if he chooses not to join in...?   

On a nice soft bouldering mat? Or if you're old school a little bit of bathroom mat... flippant maybe, but does 'believing' he's been invited have real bearing on this conversation or its nature.

Edit as got work to crack on with: nothing more to contribute really, point made.

[slackline]

since when has it been acceptable to carry out character assassination without the contribution of the guy himself?

Well I believe he has been invited to this conversation,

Just because someone has explicitly said "post up evidence" doesn't mean that the intended recipient (Rich Simpson) will have been told about this thread and the request, or will have bothered to read it if he has been made aware of it.

[Johnny Brown]

Anyone who thinks this can be cleared up by simply by 'asking Rich himself' might do well to remember the farce we had when we tried this over one single ascent  - his ground-up of Careless Torque. The layers of bullshit were remarkable - and yet he could have made us all look stupid just by posting his supposed video on youtube.

Ditto the supposed 'evidence' he had that Heason lied, to be revealed only to those who promised to back Rich up. Never appeared, despite Rich being made to look very foolish in its absence.

Rich's sponsors have already 'asked Rich himself'. His response prompted them all to drop him. Even Accapi. From what I've heard, this included contacting Koyamayada who was unable to corroborate Rich's story.

From the UKC thread, its clear his four-minute mile 'whilst pace-setting at the Alexander stadium' is a flat lie.

His Hasse-Brandler solo is so outrageous that it has been flatly ignored by the entire climbing world.

All very sad: clearly he was one of the strongest climbers Britain has produced in the last ten years, and with a remarkable talent for training. You have to ask - Why?

You have to wonder is this is giant 'fuck you' to the climbing community for refusing to listen to him on the subject five years ago. If you're not interested in the truth, lets see just what credulous fools you are then...

[Luthor]

my god what have I become!?

Think you already know the answer to that mate!

[Bubba]

since when has it been acceptable to carry out character assassination without the contribution of the guy himself?

It's the internet - it's perfectly acceptable to discuss anything under the sun so long as it's not going to land ukb in legal shit.

Simpson has an account here. Whether he chooses to join in or not (assuming he's bothered) is up to him.

[SA Chris]

Has anyone who knows him actually tried PM ing him? PMs might get flagged up in a hotmail account.

[Moo]

I think it's safe for us to assume he knows about this discussion

[slackline]

I think it's safe for us to assume he knows about this discussion

To 'assume' makes an ass out of [yo]u and me.

[Probes]

... from Wild Country's list of UK sponsored climbers. I wonder where he's gone? Perhaps he's given up climbing again.

He's not vanished he's become a camper.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=426350&v=1#x6040223