Lance Armstrong to be stripped of titles
Rumours were rife, but he always denied them. Now it has been announced that Lance Armstrong will be stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life, the US Anti-Doping Agency said.
The cyclist’s attorneys sent a letter to USADA today saying they wouldn’t seek arbitration in the case.
“If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA’s process I could confront these allegations in a fair setting and — once and for all — put these charges to rest, I would jump at the chance,” Armstrong said in a letter. “But I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair.”
Travis Tygart, USADA’s chief executive officer, said in a statement released by the agency that “it is a sad day for all of us who love sport and our athletic heroes.”
“This is a heartbreaking example of how the win-at-all- costs culture of sport, if left unchecked, will overtake fair, safe and honest competition,” Tygart said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/lancearmstrong/9496...
Hmmm... U hv a point there, Britex. Does he really get to keep his millions? If it was fraudulent and ill-gotten gains, there may be claims for restitution in addition tothe loss-based recovery of compensation.
And no, I would say kudos to the FBI for finally getting their man, if they really did.
He has played a master stroke. By taking this route, he gets to keep his millions and also comes accross as a David against a Goliath.
"Is justice really served here, I wonder .... An entity against an individual, big guns against a small fry."
Would you say the same if it was Mike tyson that was accused ? or rather, would you blame the FBI if they finally got their man ?
Aren't steroids chemical compounds which occur naturally in the body? Was this also why he was able to fudge the lines of truth and escape detection all these years, if the allegations are true? ... Added together with the "sophisticated doping methods" as alleged.
But on the other hand, since he was battling cancer, did some of the medication that he had to take for his illness have steroids?
Is justice really served here, I wonder .... An entity against an individual, big guns against a small fry. Didn't stand much of a chance, did he? Of course, we don't know the details of the evidence they have against him.
more so because he hurt my girl Sheryl!!!
Thomas Burke (USA). Gold medal 100 m 1896 Athens. Time: 12.0!! No dopes.
I only have two words to say to you ..
Eddy Merckx
You can also succeed with a communist system, if there are no capitalists around!
you can win without doping if everyone else also doesnt dope. :P
Let's be honest, nobody can win the Tour without doping! If you still believe in the opposite, you are quite naive.
Ever since the Marion Jones affair, there have been rumours that the USA authorities had turned a blind eye to doping especially given the technology at their disposal.
Whilst I applaud the work he has done for charity, we should not forget that he has been caght out as a cheat and a liar..
bribery, doping and cheating rule the roost in all the major sporting events....
The greed for money is rampant everywhere.
stealth, it's entertainment, it's a show. Would you want to watch Usain Bolt running 100 meters in 10.2 seconds only?
Lance Armstrong has his evidences to prove his innocence as well and that too no less than the USADA passing him in each and every test. Could not then evidences gathered and the testimonies of witnesses be false? All together a very unfortunate turn of events and undoubtedly a disappointment to all his fans. Is no internationally acclaimed sport free of corruption today?
well lets boycott the sponsors then for promoting these dope cheats to sell their products
Hollywood and Bollywood movie stars are also doped (plastic surgery). The people want to see it! And, it's a 'business'. Sports is also a 'business'.
The doping methods were quite sophisticated and always ahead of the tests used. However, now, the agency has gathered evidence and also witnesses who will swear to the doping charges..
"The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colours. I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In-competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it?" ~ Lance Armstrong.
- Why indeed. Was there any cogent evidence that he took performance enhancing drugs?
You CANNOT win anymore if you are not doped! The performance goes geyond the normal physical and mental abilities. But, even the Greeks used dopes 2400 years a go. So, what's the big deal? If you choose to be an athlet, you must sacrifice your health. Did I tell you any secret,brit?
the US and the russians rule the roost.
I remember years ago when Lasse Viren was accused of blood transfusions prior to the race. The difference here is that Armstrong has done it for so long without being caught..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_sport
This is an 'incomplete' list of 'known' doping cases. As you can see, it goes through all sports and covers all countries!
Not only US athlets, all athlets are suspect. The problem is that the drugs are always one step ahead of the tests!
it was only a few days some Americans were suspecting foul play with the chinese swimmers and also with relation to Bolt. Now it seems more like almost all the US athletes should be drug cheat suspects.