Lance Armstrong to be charged with doping?

[Northendzone]

i wonder if some of the folks at nike (maker/marketer of livestrong gear) have any feelings over this, or if they have discussed the what-if's?

[MissTeeks]

Lance Armstrong won't fight USADA doping charges:

http://www.thescore.com/home/article...-usada-charges

Lance Armstrong said Thursday night he is finished fighting a barrage of drug charges from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, putting his unprecedented string of seven Tour de France titles at risk along with his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists in history.

The decision sets up a likely lifetime ban from the sport and the possibility that Armstrong will be stripped of his signature achievement - the extraordinary run of Tour titles he won from 1999-2005.

Armstrong, who retired last year, declined to enter arbitration - his last option - because he said he was weary of fighting accusations that have dogged him for years. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof of his innocence.

"There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough.'' For me, that time is now,'' Armstrong said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. He called the USADA investigation an "unconstitutional witch hunt.''

"I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999,'' he said. "The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today - finished with this nonsense.''

[Azure]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

I've said it before and i'll say it again...You can't dominate a sport filled with dopers without doping...it's not possible.

You can if you're a freak of nature.

[Azure]

Breaking News ‏@BreakingNews
USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour de France titles, ban him from cycling for life - @AP

[metallicat]

Wow.

[ricosuave]

I just dont understand, he's passed all the tests required over the years, how can they do this? there has to be some sort of statute of limitations?

[Boblobla]

That is messed up.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by ricosuave

I just dont understand, he's passed all the tests required over the years, how can they do this? there has to be some sort of statute of limitations?

Reading his statement he says these charges go back 17 years, whereas the ASADA has a limitation of 8 years.

[4X4]

It's alright. We all know that he probably took something, but that everyone else did too. What's his real loss? His wikipedia page is going to have a footnote? Everyone knows he's the best cyclist of our generation. He knows it, we know it, and the people he beat know it.
They're going to go and award those wins to the next guy that probably also doped.

[Paladium]

I don't get it - aren't they using the same info that has been dismissed in previous accusations. I get his position - when does it end. If he fights and wins this time as in the last 4-5x, it will just be something later down the road.

[metallicat]

If he cheated, he cheated. But I hope it doesn't hurt his fundraising abilities for cancer research.

[Paladium]

I'd rather they spent all that time and effort trying to dig up the dirt on Carl Lewis. There were 9 positive hits at the LA Olympics mysteriously lost.

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-08-...1_drug-testing

[Azure]

Instead of spending all that money on these allegations against Lance, they should have donated it to his cancer foundation.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Paladium

I'd rather they spent all that time and effort trying to dig up the dirt on Carl Lewis. There were 9 positive hits at the LA Olympics mysteriously lost.

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-08-...1_drug-testing

As was brought up in the Olympics thread this year, with the hypocrite Lewis spouting off about Bolt, and the documentry that came out about the 1988 race where everyone in that race (except Lewis) was at some time convicted of doping, digging up dirt at this point will never happen.

In the era where IOC members were being bribed with houses, cars and other lavish things, in exchange for votes for the host city, its not that hard to figure that a couple more million dollars by the USOC and/or whoever was sponsoring Lewis in 1984 and on, was used to help cover up/lose test results.

[metallicat]

So how legit is the USADA's stripping of his titles? Are they even affiliated with the cycling world?

[Pizza]

Doping or no doping, This confirm things.

Lance Armstrong is a quitter

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by ricosuave

I just dont understand, he's passed all the tests required over the years, how can they do this? there has to be some sort of statute of limitations?

Why would there be a statute of limitations? If you can wait long enough for people to catch you cheating, you're OK?

As for the current investigation, from what I know, it's different this time because they finally have teammates who have or would testify that Armstrong was involved in doping, including George Hincapie, who raced alongside Armstrong for all 7 of Armstrong's wins and who is probably the most respected rider of his generation amongst his peers. Here's a NY Times article about him and his role in this most recent investigation:

Because Hincapie is considered a credible and reluctant witness, his testimony could be the most damaging evidence against Armstrong, who is accused of doping and playing a key role in a vast doping conspiracy. According to people with knowledge of the case, Hincapie has told the United States Anti-Doping Agency about systematic doping on Armstrong’s teams, of which Armstrong played a part.

“There are certain riders who, you know, ooze respect, and George is one of them,” said Stuart O’Grady, an Australian rider who has raced against Hincapie for about 20 years. “I don’t think anyone dislikes George. He’s just an all-around nice guy.”

If Hincapie does testify, it has the potential to be one of the starkest, most jarring revelations in a sport known for its code of silence regarding doping.

It's no surprise that Armstrong, a guy who never backed down from anything in a life and career defined by grueling ordeals, decided "to stop fighting" to save his reputation now.

[You Need a Thneed]

Give up on going after (potential) cheating of the past. Focus on the present. If he did cheat, everyone else was also cheating, most likely. You can't change the past, but you can change the present

As of right now, I'd still tend to think he's innocent. No positive tests, everyone who would testify against him has so much to gain by doing so.


Baseball has this problem too. MLB almost certainly knew that McGuire and Sosa, etc, were taking stuff, and chose to turn a blind eye. You could argue that they encouraged it. However, now those players are being shunned by the media, the league, and the public, and I don't think it's fair. McGuire, Bonds and Armstrong all have never failed a drug test. It's time to let them all be and let them keep their records instead of wasting time on resources on them.

[oilyfan]

Originally Posted by 4X4

It's alright. We all know that he probably took something, but that everyone else did too. What's his real loss? His wikipedia page is going to have a footnote? Everyone knows he's the best cyclist of our generation. He knows it, we know it, and the people he beat know it.
They're going to go and award those wins to the next guy that probably also doped.

I don't believe everyone thinks he is the greatest. I certainly don't think an accomplished liar like him deserves a lot of respect. His only redeeming quality is his Livestrong activities.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

As of right now, I'd still tend to think he's innocent. No positive tests, everyone who would testify against him has so much to gain by doing so.

There were a few positive tests. Lance always argued up to now that those results were tainted.

Lance had far more to gain from lying, than any of the witnesses (who were mostly reluctant to break the code). What did the witnesses have to gain exactly?