Lance Armstrong to be stripped of Titles/banned for life

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[quote][color=#333333][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]AUSTIN, Texas -- The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday night it will strip Lance Armstrong of his unprecedented seven Tour de France titles after he declared he was finished fighting the drug charges that threaten his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists of all time.[/size][/font][/color]
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Travis Tygart, USADA's chief executive, said Armstrong would also be hit with a lifetime ban on Friday.[/size][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]
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http://www.cbssports.com/general/story/19887362/usada-to-ban-armstrong-for-life-strip-tour-titles[/size][/font][/color]
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Did not see that coming.[/size][/font][/color]

[Cville-Raven]

Feel pretty bad for him, but if he did it well than you got.

[T3hRaven]

This is one of those cases where I'm not sure what to believe. Lance Armstrong did pass a bunch of drug tests in his career, and I would not be surprised if people were out on a witch hunt to get him. At the same time, everyone was doping in cycling so it's not illogical to assume he was as well. Either way, I generally disagree when people are stripped of titles. They still won them, even if they cheated. Add an asterisk, don't take it away.

[1/28/01]

Its cycling. Who cares? All they do is ride their bikes on ROADS and get in my way while I am driving my car on said road. Its a road. Go mountain biking or something!

[Gordo52]

Sad.

[Purple Punishment]

He passed all drug testing. He's been defending himself for the last 3 years in and out of court. Centrally it gets to a point where he says I don't care what you believe. I did nothing wrong. If he continued to fight as state his case against the anti doping agency, he would lose. They are out to get him and it would be an unfair fight IMO

[ghost1986]

Wow that really sucks. I presonally don't believe he did it, but whatever. I still think he's one of the greatest riders out there. It's somewhat discouraging. If they can find a guy of his class guilty of doping even after passing all of the dope tests, then why not go after all others too? Like I said: Whatever. I still have nothing but respect for the guy and think it's just a joke,

[Purple Punishment]

Weird that they only accuse American Chanpions of doping

[YYZ66]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1345784392' post='1127990']
Its cycling. Who cares? All they do is ride their bikes on ROADS and get in my way while I am driving my car on said road. Its a road. Go mountain biking or something!
[/quote]

I'll second this!

[display name]

If he didn't do it, I feel very bad for him. If he did do it, he deserves it.
I don't follow biking, but because of some of the previous comments, I am starting to believe he may be innocent.

[ravensfan2430]

[quote name='Purple Punishment' timestamp='1345820375' post='1128397']
Weird that they only accuse American Chanpions of doping
[/quote]

Im pretty sure Contador... or someone who won it recently (not american ) was striped of the title b/c of PED or w/e they use. I'm not going to bother looking it up. Like someone else said... it's cycling

[darklight1216]

He never even failed a test? This is disgusting, what ever happened to "innocent until proven guilty?"

Also, does the USADA even have the power to do this? I mean doesn't some international bicyling committee have a say? Or at least a US cycling committee...
[quote name='Purple Punishment' timestamp='1345820375' post='1128397']
Weird that they only accuse American Chanpions of doping
[/quote]
That's not true. North Korea has had their female gymnasts banned from international competitions more than once (including 2012 Olympic Games). I think their women's soccer team has also been banned from the World Cup.

The USA was also awarded China's 2000 Olympic bronze medal in women's gymnastics because they had an underage contestant.

[The Raven]

If he didn't fail a test, then this is very disappointing. Its a true shame.

[1/28/01]

How many times does one person get accused of something before its true? Can't believe I just put this much thought and time into something regarding riding a bike!

Love how many times it says "denied the allegations".

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/story/2012-08-23/lance-armstrong-timeline/57258518/1

[Malkavian Raven]

[font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif][i]Just give them their false sense of achievement, Lance. At the end of the day, you can hold your head up and know that you're trying to make a difference in the world while some agency tries to justify their existence.[/i][/font]

[font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif][i]~ Malkavian Raven[/i][/font]
[font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif][i]I wonder if the USADA has a USADA's Top-10 Most Wanted List in their office. Lance is #1, obviously. Look out Phelps, they'll be after you next![/i][/font]

[ghost1986]

[quote name='ravensfan2430' timestamp='1345826655' post='1128566']
Im pretty sure Contador... or someone who won it recently (not american ) was striped of the title b/c of PED or w/e they use. I'm not going to bother looking it up. Like someone else said... it's cycling
[/quote]
Yeah, but he wasn't banned from competition. He was banned from this year's Tour de France, but I think they said he can come back. And even so, they still let him ride in the Spain race, although I'm not too surprised since he is from there. Still, this is such a joke. Way to improve your image by going after a cancer survivor.

[CorvusCorax]

Make them work for it Lance. Have them come in and take it, by having to have a warrant.

Does anyone have any friends that watch cycling? Seriously.

This man fought cancer and won. He was/is an inspiration to victims of cancer everywhere. And you pull this nonsense?

This action only further devalues Cycling as a sport and especially the Tour de France.

[arnie_uk]

I watch it. I too think he should have fought it at least for the integrity of the sport if nothing else.

Be a shame if one of the greatest athletes of all time was a fraud

[BloodRaven]

Not sure what to believe. If he's innocent than that in itself is a shame.

[Purple Punishment]

He was tired of fighting. He fought for years and doesn't want to go through it anymore. You can't blame him for saying enough is enough. His tests that were negative should have been enough. If I pass a urinalysis in the military that means I'm not doing drugs and my command cannot scrutinize it. Lance passed all drug testing without a question. I think that is enough

[arnie_uk]

I think its enough but you have to wonder why there is about 10 people chomping at the bit to testify against him

[K-Dog]

The guy was a physical freak of nature.
How he could ride as intense as he did, as long as he did, just to get up and do it all again the next day is beyond me.

[Ravenslifer]

[quote name='arnie_uk' timestamp='1345975251' post='1129923']
I think its enough but you have to wonder why there is about 10 people chomping at the bit to testify against him
[/quote]

There is that, but when more than half of those ten are proven dopers themselves, you have to wonder about their credibility in this situation. For instance, a guy like Floyd Landis, who already showed the lengths he will go to when he hacked into the French anti-doping lab, is hardly a "credible witness" in my book. I'm not saying Armstrong is innocent, but what I definitely think is that the "evidence" the IOC and USADA have is weak, and they know it.

And I understand why he wouldn't fight it anyway. Rodger Clemens fought it and legally won on all counts, but his reputation is irreparably damaged from it. And it took Clemens 4 years and who knows how many millions of dollars to do it.