View Single Post
Old 08-28-2012, 10:21 PM   #19
Senior Member
Max Brawn
Activity: 13% Activity: 13% Activity: 13%
MikeM's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 3,831
Training Exp: in 3rd year
Training Type: Powerlifting
Fav Exercise: Deadlift
Fav Supp: Food
Reputation: 290547

I'm conflicted on this as I'm a rabid cycling fan for many years now, since Greg Lemond won the Tour.

First of all, I think it's unlikely Lance didn't cheat. Seriously, damn near all the other elite riders from that time have been caught doping, yet he beat them handily? Maybe he's the greatest athlete since Pheidippidies invented the Marathon, but that would be one mondo feat if true.

HOWEVER, he has never failed a drug test anywhere, anytime. Who cares what anyone says about seeing this or that? Sure, maybe he beat the tests, but what does that say about the tests?

Look at it another way, suppose he failed a test and trotted out hundreds of cyclists and whoever else to say he was never out of their sight in decades and he couldn't possibly have doped, so he is innocent. Think that would overturn a positive test? Nope. So why does the fact he never failed one is allowed to be overturned by hearsay make him banned and stripped of his titles?

And another thing, if the WADA truly wanted to clean up the sport and not just hang trophy heads on their wall, why would they allow admitted cheats to continue to race as long as they "told the truth about Armstrong"? The guy's retired, how does letting others continue to race clean up anything?

And make no mistake, huge names in American cycling are mixed up in this. Armstrong was allegedly the head of this huge conspiracy to dope and help others dope, yet he and his manager (and a few doctors) are the only ones charged on the say so of a few retired guys?

But, very prominent riders right now were on those teams too. What, they knew nothing about it? Weren't involved? It's a team sport, how could they not? Why would they not be part of something to make the team more successful?

Then again International Cycling Union has a reason to keep things under wraps to salvage whatever reputation they have left, so I get why WADA doesn't want them to essentially investigate themselves.

Bottom line, judge basically said it was a witch hunt. WADA has a flawed process and I for one do not respect them for what they have done.

Even if they are right, it doesn't matter to me unless they can prove they are right. And they can't. They just have the best kangaroo court in the business and no one to stop them.
I am Anton Zdravko Martin!

Goals: 3/4/5



Last edited by MikeM; 08-28-2012 at 10:24 PM.
MikeM is offline   Reply With Quote