[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

This is off-topic, but this is a huge story. I’m sure most of us have heard about it by now. I’m not a big fan of cycling, but have been a follower of Lance Armstrong due to his involvement with cancer awareness, etc.

What are your thoughts and feelings on this?

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Tried to post the link to the story on ESPN, but it’s triggering the spam filter.

[SiggyParticipant]

 The USADA is essentially punishing him for their mistakes and inadequacies.

He was most likely dirty but he passed THEIR and other doping agencies’ tests for years. Enough is enough. He’s been guilty til proven innocent and even if he beats his "case," they won’t leave him alone.  It’s pointless for him to keep wasting his own money on an endless battle.

 

[BrentSuriaga01Participant]

I thought the topic was about Hilton Armstrong, as if somebody cares for him. By the way, is he still in the NBA?

[Allen_Iverson_3Participant]

No, but he’s being approached by Real Madrid right now

[GronounoursParticipant]

 Everybody knew Armstrong was a cheater and a liar. I’m not saying this as a "hater", it’s a simple statement of fact. Many others were and are doped, but it’s a good thing that Armstrong is finally officialy recognized for what he is.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

@Gronounours

I don’t know much about cycling, but how is it a statement of fact when he he’s passed hundreds of tests since the early 90’s? They’ve been suspicous and after him for awhile, so how has he avoided getting caught?

The people that were cheating around him got caught. How did they get caught, but he didn’t? What was HE doing that made him be able to avoid getting caught and for so long?

I could care less if he’s guilty or not, but I’ve been reading and I just don’t see the proof. Just seems like a bunch of "he said, she said". They’ve been building a case against him for like 10 years and all the proof they have is "he said, she said"?

Just seems wrong to strip of man of what he’s worked hard to accomplish when there’s really no stone hard proof or evidence.

To say he’s guilty of doping because others around him was, is as dumb as Derek Jeter being mentioned with steroids just because the MLB has a problem overall.

[Bird_YearsParticipant]

@Indiana: The USADA claim they have proof and witnesses and basically Armstrong is refusing to go to court to fight this which they are taking as an admission of guilt. So I guess we’ll never know what the "proof" exactly is.

I do believe Armstrong was doping but I honestly don’t see what’s wrong with it when it doesn’t seem like anybody is clean. He still earned those 7 tour wins against a field of dopers.

What do people on here think about banned substance use anyways? Should they continue doing what they’re doing? Should they crack down more? Should they allow and just regulate? We’re lucky that it doesn’t really affect the NBA much at all

[Allen_Iverson_3Participant]

On a broad scale the problem with doping is not that much because it falsifies the competition, though it should be as just as possible, but that it literally kills the athletes using these substances. It is a case of health. A year or two Laurent Fignon, another doped cyclist who won the Tour de France in the late 80’s beginning 90’s died from a cancer, but there sure is a relationship between his death and the doping. Look the life expectancy of an NFL player, a league where their is a generalized doping process, is around 55 years old!!! So of course people should crack down more on this major issue. And I think that it does also affect the NBA, but the thing is that the NBA, also the MLB, are not severe enough over this issue in terms of suspensions (Rashard Lewis got 10 games for testing positive to testosterone in 2009), so it encourages athletes to continue doping.

[SiggyParticipant]

 Of course doping doesn’t really affect the NBA at all. The NBA has some of the most lax drug testing in all of professional sports.

[Jlv2012]

really disappoints me.  He was an inspiration to many.  USADA might as well and strip my heart too.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Perception is truth. 

Unfortunately, that’s how it is in the United States.

If you took steroids or PHD, you’re a cheater.

If you pass the tests, someone fudged the numbers.

It’s a lose-lose situation.  I’m sure Armstrong is tired of wasting his life and money on this, I mean he’s fought these allegations longer than he fought cancer for God’s sake.  About 20 years of judges, juries, lawyers, and court-rooms?  I’d be tired of it too, mentally.

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