Originally Posted By WilliamK99 <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CYC_ARMSTRONG_DOPING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-23-23-18-23" target="_blank">http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s...23-18-23</a> The only problem I have with this is nearly every biker used performance enhancing drugs during that time period and there is no proof he actually failed a drug test. Best way to prevent abuse is to keep samples frozen for 15 to 20 years and test in the future when technology catches up to the ways people find to cheat..
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CYC_ARMSTRONG_DOPING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-23-23-18-23" target="_blank">http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s...23-18-23</a> The only problem I have with this is nearly every biker used performance enhancing drugs during that time period and there is no proof he actually failed a drug test. Best way to prevent abuse is to keep samples frozen for 15 to 20 years and test in the future when technology catches up to the ways people find to cheat..
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CYC_ARMSTRONG_DOPING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-23-23-18-23" target="_blank">http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s...23-18-23</a> The only problem I have with this is nearly every biker used performance enhancing drugs during that time period and there is no proof he actually failed a drug test. Best way to prevent abuse is to keep samples frozen for 15 to 20 years and test in the future when technology catches up to the ways people find to cheat..
Originally Posted By u k fan I'm afraid I do see his unwillingness to contest this as an admission of guilt. He's not shied away from defending his name before and why would you not want to defend your incredible achievements one last time unless you thought it would end badly. This way everyone can say it was never proved and the question mark hangs forever!!!
Originally Posted By hopemax Bike racing is something that I'm familiar. My husband and I watched all the Tours, and for the last several years we've been following the races season long. And there is a race happening right now in Colorado, that we will be attending tomorrow and Sunday. So we've been following this for awhile The difference between "everybody does it" and Lance, is that not only was he accused of taking banned substances but that he is one of the Kingpins of the sport. He and his doctor's had a network to make sure other athletes had access. Within cycling, the riders basically fall into 3 camps: the reluctant users who know they need to use or they would be out of a job (and a dream), the willing users that will take what is given without prompting, and the group that is actively seeking out any and all "advantages" and it is to this 3rd group Lance is charged with being a part of. Lance ending his racing career does not necessarily mean Lance has ended his contribution to doping within sport. And the reason that there is no positive drug test is that he and the UCI (the main cycling body) are "in bed" together. Within cycling there are now a growing list of cases of athletes admitting to long term EPO and other drug use without ever testing positive. And in the US, the most famous case of an admitted user without testing positive is Marian Jones. Apparently, EPO was not that hard of a test to beat, because the test didn't test for the presence of EPO, but for markers in the blood that can be tested. But you can eliminate these markers with altitude: either training and living at a sufficient enough height, or through the use of an altitude chamber. Supposedly, there are 6 failed drug tests that were suppressed by the cycling bodies. There was one test that he actually failed, but then provided a post-dated prescription, which continues to be a common tactic to avoid trouble. And there are rumors that his cancer treatment was delayed because the testing body thought they were supressing failed tests when in fact they had someone with abnormal testosterone because of cancer, and Lance thought his symptoms were a side-effect of testosterone use. The rumor goes, that's why the UCI looked the other way during the Tour victories. If Lance went down he would take them down. During the "comeback" Lance posted his blood values on his website. People took what was posted, plotted them out and realized that they were inconsistent with what would actually happen to a rider's blood during the course of a season. This is not the 80's and 90's where people took everything for every possible reason. Now, most of the doping is for the purpose of recovery. The doses are micro-doses, to bring hemocrit levels back up to the level that they are during the beginning of a season. Over the course, of long race like the Tour de France, riders normally become slightly anemic, and Lance's levels remained consistent, and did not show drop off. Once this was pointed out, the numbers were pulled from the website and never mentioned again. The past information linking Lance came from "unlikable witnesses." This time, the assumption is the USADA got testimony from every American athlete who ever raced with Lance. The USADA said that everyone they talked with, cooperated except Lance. Including, all the people Lance counted as his close friends in his books. Things non-cycling fans would not know is that for all of his Tour de France wins, George Hincapie was Lance's right hand man. Previously, 60 Minutes revealed that George had talked to authorities, but George himself has not made any statements. In the middle of June, George suddenly announced his retirement following the end of this race in Colorado. About the same time, the racers who were eligible for the 2012 Olympics withdrew their names from the team, leaving most of the spots to people with no association with Lance. There was one older rider, who rode with Lance during the "comeback." attempt, but not during the wins. These things happened in the week before the USADA announced that they were charging Lance, the manager of Lance's racing teams, a team trainer, and multiple doctor's of Lance with drug use, trafficking, and conspiracy. The doctor's accepted the ban and were immediately banned. The manager, Johan Bruyneel's case is going to arbitration. Lance threatened to sue everyone in sight, until yesterday, when he essentially pleaded "no contest." The catch, if people were wondering why he would do that, is it limits the USADA in what evidence it can present. So Lance gets to martyr himself, and the USADA doesn't get to immediately release their evidence. I feel like I'm doing a bit of an info dump, and I'm not sure on all the details anyway. But I did want to post something, because there are a lot of people who have made a lot of money via Lance's compelling "story," and have a vested interest in keeping his name clear and would misrepresent the situation. ESPN, I guess has already issued a statement of support. Most people don't care enough to want to follow a trail of evidence. Within cycling this has been building for awhile, and is more of a accumulation of events. And I think people should be aware of that.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Do I have to replace my LIVESTRONG bracelet with a LIVELIE one now?>> I know how you feel. I have a set of Chantal LIVESTRONG snack bowls, which I use for cereal. (The Lance Armstrong Foundation received 10% of the sale price.) I feel weird eating from them now, even though I love the quality.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Thanks, Hopemax, it was a lot of info, but it was helpful info. It's good to see things explained from somebody who knows the behind-the-scenes things. It makes a lot of sense.
