Lance's Drug Cartel

[tednlou2]

I think the jury is in on this.  It makes me wonder how much his cancer can be attributed to doping.  I also wonder how this will affect his cancer organization.  I know donations went up recently.  However, the evidence is now overwhelming. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/11/sports/cycling/agency-details-doping-case-against-lance-armstrong.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[intaglio]

Doping has gone on for as long as professional sports have gone on.

The way I understand this is that he used something that was not illegal at the time he used it. This is why he was cleared of all charges in a court of law.

The problem is that certain persons want to "make an example" of him. What they don't realize is that their actions are going to cause backlash in the sporting community in ways they haven't considered. Once the ball gets rolling, so to speak, no cycling competitor is going to come out unscathed. The revelations will just continue to roll in.

A relative of mine has been involved in sports medicine since the early 1980's. He has worked with professional football teams and multiple Olympic contenders. His experience is that all sports are flush with legal and illegal chemical usage. It's just cycling's turn to be the focus of it.

So Lance has been stripped of his wins. Guess what? The other competitors are just as "dirty" as he was. So they have just awarded wins to others who have used chemical enhancements also. In time, there'll be revelations they were doing the same thing Lance was, just not being as good at it as he was.

[tednlou2]

Yes, they said everyone was doing it.  I think all the teammates and best friends who testified against him have admitted to doping as well.  And, many say if Lance was playing on a level playing field, he would have done just as well, because he was the most focused and disciplined. 

But, I think of the Nike ads, where Lance says the assertion he does anything but hard work is ridiculous.  He didn't have to do that ad.  He told the world all his accomplishments were possible with hard work alone.  Those ads are often marketed toward young people.  He lied to them.  And, many would realize that and figure they need to dope.

And, he was the leader of all this for the US team.  According to the report, he pushed doping on all the others and created a code of silence.  It is just unfortunate to see someone considered someone to aspire to be so manipulative and dishonest.  But, what's new.