“American cyclist Lance Armstrong was part of “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen,” the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Wednesday in advance of issuing its long-awaited report detailing the evidence it amassed against the seven-time Tour de France champion.”
This is sad. It’s easy to see how he got started, and then couldn’t stop. Too many people to disappoint, and too much potential good to come of it. Not a bad guy, simply one who got on a merry-go-’round and couldn’t get off. His ego and public wouldn’t let him.
He’s undoubtedly guilty, it’s been an open secret for years. I was convinced when I saw a news clip of him passing a couple of guys on the Tour, going uphill, with his mouth closed and smiling at them. He told Floyd Landis, another busted cycler, to always deny. Just deny.
The empire he has built relied upon his integrity, and has many, many people depending upon him. And many will still defend him, as there is too much invested not to.
Truly a no-win situation, and one which needed investigation. If Armstrong got away with it the entire sport of cycling would have been trashed. Too many people knew about it, participated in it and helped him do it. And did it themselves.