Lance Armstrong stripped of his seven titles
You’re absolutely right. And the Four Corners program did imply that drug use was widely spread (way more that I would have imagined) and that riders were pretty much expected to take performance enhancing drugs by their teams and doctors. That’s why i feel sorry for Lance. Yes, he’s the highest profile personality in cycling, and naturally he is taking most of the heat (that’s expected when you win 7 times). His former teammate was on the show last night and admitted everything that was going on behind closed doors. All the cyclists were doping. The program also exposed the incompetence of the UCI, in not addressing doping when reported by athletes, and also for accepting money from Lance on more than one occasion. Anyway, no one wins here. The whole sport and the athletes have been dragged into disrepute, and it will probably be a long time before the sport recovers and people’s perception changes. I think the athletes and the fans deserve a sport without drugs.
The main thing that I got out of the whole story on Four Corners last night, was that while everyone seems to be acknowledging the use of these self imposed banned drugs in the cycling federation, Lance Armstrong is still denying that he ever used them!!!!!
And this is when there are scores of people, and some his close friends, that say otherwise!!!!!
I can see what the Insurance Company has to benefit from proving that he used these drugs, but I can’t quite see what some of his friends, and former medical staff/drug labs have to gain by fabricating their stories?????
I think the athletes and the fans deserve a sport without drugs.
The truth of the matter is that it’s never going to happen.
Naturally, I’ll assume by “drugs” you specifically mean “illegal” drugs - and therein lies the problem. Just like in Formula One, new technologies are developed all the time that give competitors an advantage, and it’s up to the officials to quickly determine whether or not they’ll allow them - so they’re not necessarily “illegal” at first. The trick has always been to stay one step ahead of the officials, in coming up with new means to satisfy, or evade, their scrutiny.
There’s plenty of “performance enhancing” drugs commonly used already - and all perfectly “legally”. If you have a headache while competing, a headache pill increases your ability to compete at a higher level. Same goes with pain killers etc. - even a cup of coffee will give you a boost. Some are allowed, some aren’t. Too much of anything - even coffee - and you’re busted. It’s always a battle to push the limits of technology without either overstepping the mark, or getting caught doing so.
The biggest problem actually lies in the need to portray a “clean” image to the general public, because if they pulled the plug on their “drug free” charade and made the actual extent of drug use in sport widely known, that would have negative repercussions on society as a whole. So they have no choice but to perpetuate the pretense of healthy, drug-free sport.
Lance Armstrong is still denying that he ever used them
He never failed a drug test, so for all intents and purposes, he’s done nothing against the rules (just like the example I gave regarding speeding fines). The major challenge has always been to push the limits without going over them and/or getting caught doing so. Why would he want to deliberately negate all that hard work?
The main thing that I got out of the whole story on Four Corners last night, was that while everyone seems to be acknowledging the use of these self imposed banned drugs in the cycling federation, Lance Armstrong is still denying that he ever used them!!!!!
Yep thats is the problem I have with Lance.
He has said numerous times under oath that he NEVER used performance enhancing drugs.
He should be going to jail for perjury!
Its one thing to do something that “everyone else” is doing - its another to be caught out and lie about - continuously and slandering other peoples names.
Man up and take ownership of your actions Lance. YOU and solely YOU chose to use performance enhancing drugs. No one forced you. even if saying no meant you had no career. It was your choice!
I can see what the Insurance Company has to benefit from proving that he used these drugs, but I can’t quite see what some of his friends, and former medical staff/drug labs have to gain by fabricating their stories?????
It’s like Samsung paying for negatively focussed articles on Apple to appear in the media - it lessens the heat on themselves.
Its one thing to do something that “everyone else” is doing - its another to be caught out and lie about . . .
He’s never actually been “caught out”. That’s the major point.
I can see what the Insurance Company has to benefit from proving that he used these drugs, but I can’t quite see what some of his friends, and former medical staff/drug labs have to gain by fabricating their stories?????
It’s like Samsung paying for negatively focussed articles on Apple to appear in the media - it lessens the heat on themselves.
How does this apply to the Irish Physio????? Or the independent drug lab that did hold one of Lance’s positive tests?????
Neither of them are taking any heat off themselves?????
If anything, they have put themselves at risk of harming their own careers!!!!!
Once again, for those who may have missed it:
If you had been driving for 30 years with an unblemished record - not even so much as a parking ticket - and years down the track, various passengers in your car throughout that time were called up to testify that they had seen you had exceed the speed limit on numerous occasions, would you think it was reasonable to be fined retrospectively for speeding, even though you’d never actually been caught doing so?
I can see what the Insurance Company has to benefit from proving that he used these drugs, but I can’t quite see what some of his friends, and former medical staff/drug labs have to gain by fabricating their stories?????
It’s like Samsung paying for negatively focussed articles on Apple to appear in the media - it lessens the heat on themselves.
How does this apply to the Irish Physio????? Or the independent drug lab that did hold one of Lance’s positive tests?????
Neither of them are taking any heat off themselves?????
If anything, they have put themselves at risk of harming their own careers!!!!!
What? You don’t think they’re financially benefitting from telling “their side of the story”?????
Once again, for those who may have missed it:
If you had been driving for 30 years with an unblemished record - not even so much as a parking ticket - and years down the track, various passengers in your car throughout that time were called up to testify that they had seen you had exceed the speed limit on numerous occasions, would you think it was reasonable to be fined retrospectively for speeding, even though you’d never actually been caught doing so?
But would you deny that you ever did it?????
That’s what I have the problem with!!!!!
As I said before!!!!!
But would you deny that you ever did it?????
Of course I’d deny it!
I’d be an idiot not to deny it - if admitting it meant I’d cop all those speeding fines. That’s what we’re dealing with here. Lance doesn’t get to simply admit it and walk away.
But would you deny that you ever did it?????
Of course I’d deny it!
I’d be an idiot not to deny it - if admitting it meant I’d cop all those speeding fines. That’s what we’re dealing with here.
So you’d perjure yourself?????
You bet I would!
It’s common sense to choose the option generating the least negative impact.
WOW! UCI has agreed with USADA and is wiping Arsmtrong out of the books. Pretty dark day for cycling and Armstrong.
News Report:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/uci-agrees-to-strip-armstrong-of-titles-20121022-281uc.html