Lance Armstrong stripped of Tour de France titles

BigV · 08-23-2012, 11:20 PM

Lance Armstrong says won't fight doping charges; will lose titles

Quote:

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong said on Thursday he would no longer fight doping accusations by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which said it would strip him of his titles and ban him from competitive cycling.

"There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough,'" Armstrong said in a statement posted on his website Lancearmstrong.com.

"For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999," he said.

USADA spokeswoman Annie Skinner said the agency would strip Armstrong of his seven titles and ban him for life from competitive cycling.

In the statement, Armstrong did not concede having used performance enhancing substances during his celebrated cycling career. On the contrary, he said he would "jump at the chance" to put the allegations to rest.

But the 40-year-old Texan said he refused to participate in the USADA process, which he called "one-sided and unfair."

He disputed the agency's authority to take away his titles.

Clearly there's more to this story--"The only thing I'm on is my bike" he famously said. Who knows? He's done being fought with. I'm kind of stunned.

monster · 08-23-2012, 11:38 PM

I'm guessing he is done with the sport and done with this crap. I certainly understand the "done with fighting" thing. He only needs to comply/fight if he wants to continue. Clearly, he doesn't. I don't blame him.

ZenGum · 08-24-2012, 12:13 AM

I am saddened by this. The case against him does seem overwhelming - team manager and doctor and team-mates have all admitted it, apparently.

I want to know what he was on and how they got away with it for ten years.

monster · 08-24-2012, 07:24 AM

Mmmm on a re-read it does scream "guilty" doesn't it?

glatt · 08-24-2012, 07:34 AM

I can understand him wanting to give up the fight, but if I were innocent, I wouldn't stop fighting.

I think he's giving up because he did it, he knows he will lose, and he thinks this will get the inevitable over with the quickest and still allow him to claim he's innocent.

The whole doping thing is a shame. It's not just him. You have to question pretty much all the records of the last 30-40 years in all the major sports. The Russians were pioneers of this in the Olympics, so it's been going on my whole life.

What is cheating? Phelps sleeps in a Darth Vader chamber to give him an edge. That seems just as bad. It just hasn't been banned yet.

infinite monkey · 08-24-2012, 07:44 AM

By any reports I've seen, including an interview with an ex teammate who admitted to doping and seeing Lance dope, this stuff is more prevalent then we would ever know.

Cheatstrong?

Sorry, I never really cared for him, and his beady eyes give him away.

But he has done good things with his organization, so I hope he continues with that.

ZenGum · 08-24-2012, 08:35 AM

This is going to really piss off all those aspiring young cyclists who cut one of their balls off.

infinite monkey · 08-24-2012, 08:46 AM

It ain't no Breaking Away story, that's for sure!

Flint · 08-24-2012, 11:29 AM

I read an article in Scientific American (or Popular Science or something) about doping. The data presented showed that ALL pro cyclists simultaneously experienced a sudden boost in performance which cannot be explained by training, equipment, or any other factors, and that since that time ALL pro cyclists have maintained this inexplicable increase in performance. The contention, which was backed up by anonymous and anecdotal evidence, is that ALL pro cyclists are doping--in fact it would be impossible to compete in this sport without the doping, therefore they are ALL doing it by necessity, just to maintain the new "normal" level.

In this regard, since ALL pro cyclists are doping, yes I believe Lance Armstrong, by definition, is part of this group.

I would guess he makes a nice target, due to the guaranteed news coverage. This is a non-story.

Clodfobble · 08-24-2012, 12:49 PM

The shame is, since the second place cyclists are all from other countries, the US agency can't target them next and demonstrate that everyone down the line is using the same enhancing techniques, whatever it is they do. I've heard crazy stories about things like drawing their own blood, and then infusing it back into themselves the night before the race so they have a greater concentration of red blood cells and oxygenation.

infinite monkey · 08-24-2012, 02:19 PM

If all the bicyclists rode off a cliff, then it would be OK for anyone to ride their bike off a cliff? Or something.

I don't feel sorry for them. They're going to go after the Head Witch in any witch hunt. Don't get any on ya.

08-23-2012, 11:38 PM	#2
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I'm guessing he is done with the sport and done with this crap. I certainly understand the "done with fighting" thing. He only needs to comply/fight if he wants to continue. Clearly, he doesn't. I don't blame him. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

08-24-2012, 12:13 AM	#3
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	I am saddened by this. The case against him does seem overwhelming - team manager and doctor and team-mates have all admitted it, apparently. I want to know what he was on and how they got away with it for ten years. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

08-24-2012, 07:24 AM	#4
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Mmmm on a re-read it does scream "guilty" doesn't it? __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

08-24-2012, 08:35 AM	#7
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	This is going to really piss off all those aspiring young cyclists who cut one of their balls off. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

08-24-2012, 08:46 AM	#8
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	It ain't no Breaking Away story, that's for sure! Attached Images

08-24-2012, 07:34 AM	#5
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I can understand him wanting to give up the fight, but if I were innocent, I wouldn't stop fighting. I think he's giving up because he did it, he knows he will lose, and he thinks this will get the inevitable over with the quickest and still allow him to claim he's innocent. The whole doping thing is a shame. It's not just him. You have to question pretty much all the records of the last 30-40 years in all the major sports. The Russians were pioneers of this in the Olympics, so it's been going on my whole life. What is cheating? Phelps sleeps in a Darth Vader chamber to give him an edge. That seems just as bad. It just hasn't been banned yet.

08-24-2012, 07:44 AM	#6
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	By any reports I've seen, including an interview with an ex teammate who admitted to doping and seeing Lance dope, this stuff is more prevalent then we would ever know. Cheatstrong? Sorry, I never really cared for him, and his beady eyes give him away. But he has done good things with his organization, so I hope he continues with that.

08-24-2012, 11:29 AM	#9
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I read an article in Scientific American (or Popular Science or something) about doping. The data presented showed that ALL pro cyclists simultaneously experienced a sudden boost in performance which cannot be explained by training, equipment, or any other factors, and that since that time ALL pro cyclists have maintained this inexplicable increase in performance. The contention, which was backed up by anonymous and anecdotal evidence, is that ALL pro cyclists are doping--in fact it would be impossible to compete in this sport without the doping, therefore they are ALL doing it by necessity, just to maintain the new "normal" level. In this regard, since ALL pro cyclists are doping, yes I believe Lance Armstrong, by definition, is part of this group. I would guess he makes a nice target, due to the guaranteed news coverage. This is a non-story. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

08-24-2012, 12:49 PM	#10
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	The shame is, since the second place cyclists are all from other countries, the US agency can't target them next and demonstrate that everyone down the line is using the same enhancing techniques, whatever it is they do. I've heard crazy stories about things like drawing their own blood, and then infusing it back into themselves the night before the race so they have a greater concentration of red blood cells and oxygenation. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

08-24-2012, 02:19 PM	#11
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	If all the bicyclists rode off a cliff, then it would be OK for anyone to ride their bike off a cliff? Or something. I don't feel sorry for them. They're going to go after the Head Witch in any witch hunt. Don't get any on ya.

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