Lance Doping Allegations: Not a Witch Hunt
Posted by
Kevin
That title is probably going to anger a lot of people, but I think its important to point out that the doping allegations that have hounded Armstrong are not without reason. First, Armstrong came back form cancer a much, much better rider than he was before he got cancer. Second, he has an open and acknowledged relationship with a doctor who has been caught giving performance enhancing drugs to other riders. Third, the sport of racing is absolutely infested with doping. Finally, there has been at least one person who ahs come forward and publicly stated that Lance asked them to dispose of doping paraphernalia.
None of this is proof. The drug tests, if they can be substantiated, would be, but there are still questions surrounding them. And I am not suggesting that Armstrong be stripped of his victories - - we don’t hang people for the suspicion of murder. But this story is more complicated than the “the French hate Lance” storyline that too much of our media seem content to regurgitate.
I bet it was a french person that stated this lie.The french are just mad Lance did something they will never do.
Comment 8/25/2005
I’m conflicted about this. Certainly there’s enough circumstantial evidence to arouse suspicion, but at the same time, if Armstrong didn’t dope (remember, we’re supposed to presume people are innocent) it’s pretty bad that these allegations constantly hound him. I’d hate it if he cheated, but I’d also hate it if he were the Richard Jewell or Steven Hatfill of cycling.
Of course, if the reputation of cycling is true, and “everyone is doping, so Armstrong must be,” then doesn’t that just level the playing field?
Comment 8/26/2005
Why was the epo not discovered in ‘99? It looks bad for him right now and it will for as long as it takes for some other cyclist to match his feats on the bike. I am not calling it a witch hunt…hell i am too. The world is out to prove he couldn’t be THAT good.
Comment 8/26/2005
He didn’t come back from cancer a “much, much better rider..”. There were two major differences:
1) He came back much smarter as a racer. I read an interview with him in 1999 where he expressed concern that the chemo had done a bit of damage to his “motor”, and stated an intention to be much more tactical in his racing. The pre-cancer Armstrong wouldn’t have recognized a tactic if it had bitten him. And lost a number of races because of that.
2) Cancer and recovery represented an opportunity to rebuild his body along different lines. To wit: 20 lbs lighter then he had been. This is exactly equivalent to lightening your car by 15% and then going back to the drag strip. Of course it’s going to be faster. About 15%.
Other notes:
L’Equipe has no chain of custody on those samples, and they refuse to publish what they do have.
The ex-soigneur who “came forward” a while ago. Meeting Armstrong in a parking lot to exchange chemistry? Armstrong handing someone bags of used syringes for disposal, and borrowing makeup? Do you truly believe that someone as focusedly professional as Armstrong would be that amateurish about something that could destroy his entire career? Do you really?
Interesting that L’Equipe has never stirred itself to Pillory Virenque. A man who rode for a team with a very publicly proven doping record, whose defense was “I never tested positive” and L’Equipe couldn’t be bothered. “The French” may not hate Armstrong, but L’Equipe certainly doesn’t love him.
The Disco/USPS R&D effort into mechanical, biomechanical and aerodynamical efficiency yielded an amount of improvement roughly equivalent to a doping program. Why then would they take the risk?? Leaving aside the unknown medical consequences of putting EPO et al into a body that’s already survived chemotherapy, as he’s said himself.
Not buying it.
Comment 9/25/2005
What is the logic of someone who would dope after having already gone through months of puting severe poisin into their body? It’s completely illogical and if you had been given a second lease on life after as tramatic experience as, I’m sure, Lance went through, you wouldn’t touch a drug again in your life. As ironic as it seems, cancer is what helped him achieve what he has. He was already an amazing rider before his sickness and all his tour victories; he just didn’y have the mental edge when it came to racing. He would always fair poor in long stage races and totally tear up the single day races. Even he is quoted as saying it is the best thing that ever happened to him. Even from death (cancer) can spring life,vigour, the will to live, and achieve.
Comment 6/27/2006