I find it interesting that several big name cyclists have admitted their past doping. These were winners of major races and if you go back farther you will find world champions who came clean and lost their titles.
I have seen discussions of amnesty for offenders to come forward. I am not sure how this helps to be honest.
Let's say an amnesty (that means no sanction if the person admits to doping) is instituted. Presumably athletes would come forward. But what then? You cannot take winnings away and the UCI cannot take away titles (individual races could probably do as they please regarding record books as the TdF has done with Riis) since it is an amnesty. WADA/USADA (who would have to agree to the amnesty) could not sanction.
So the laundry is aired. Then what? Unless the dopers are going to name others who helped them and maybe tell how/where they got the stuff (the purchase of which might NOT be illegal remember), what has been accomplished?
The only way this works is that if at some point we have some form of DNA testing that can identify doping and the athletes submit such samples.
So what does an amnesty do?