Lance Armstrong Banned and Stripped of TDF Titles

[carbon29er]

Graham Watson was always a bigger apologist than Phil Liggett was. He lacks credibility as a journalist writing favourable articles about Armstrong.

[TNT1]

Is Lance Armstrong considering a confession?

 

 

In what could be the most dramatic turnaround in the drawn-out saga of Lance Armstrong and the US Anti-Doping Agency's case against him, a report today states that the now ex-Tour de France champion, who has been banned for life from all WADA code signatory sports, is considering a confession so that he can resume his sporting career in running and triathlon.

The NY Times' Juliet Macur writes that sources familiar with the case, which saw Armstrong stripped of his competitive results from August 1, 1998 on and banned for life, have "has told associates and anti-doping officials that he is considering publicly admitting that he used banned performance-enhancing drugs and blood transfusions during his cycling career".

According to the report, Armstrong's attorney Tim Herman said that a confession was not on the table. However, the report indicates that pressure from the wealthy Livestrong Foundation supporters have been urging him to come forward to spare the non-profit further damage. The Livestrong Foundation was previously known as the Lance Armstrong Foundation, until the charity legally changed its name to strip Armstrong from its moniker following the release of the USADA's reasoned decision in October.

The WADA code allows for reduced sentences in return for testimony from athletes on how they were able to engage in doping activities. Tyler Hamilton, one of the witnesses in the USADA case, was given a reduced 8-year ban for his second offense when he tested positive for DHEA.

Four riders were given reduced bans of six months for their doping admissions and cooperation with USADA in the Armstrong/US Postal Service investigation: Levi Leipheimer, David Zabriskie, Chrisitan Vande Velde and Tom Danielson.

However, a reduced ban coming after the sanction being delivered unchallenged by the UCI and WADA would be highly unusual.

A confession from Armstrong would be a delicate and complicated move: he is currently facing lawsuits from SCA Promotions, which is looking to recoup money it was forced to pay him in bonuses for his Tour de France victories, money it refused to pay after the David Walsh and Pierre Ballester book LA Confidentiel was released alleging that Armstrong doped.

He is also being sued by the Sunday Times, which settled a libel suit over LA Confidentiel's doping allegations with Armstrong. In addition, Armstrong could be the subject of a US federal whistleblower lawsuit - a suit which citizens can take up over those who defraud the government - reportedly started by Floyd Landis on the basis that the US Postal Service's sponsorship money was being used for illegal performance enhancement by the team.

Further complicating any admission is the fact that Armstrong's longtime team manager and directeur sportif Johan Bruyneel is also facing a lifetime ban as part of the affair, but has chosen to take his case to arbitration rather than succumb to the ban as Armstrong did.

[HappyMartin]

This story is now all over the news channels and non cycling friends are starting to ask me about it.

 

I wish he would say something, anything, so at least my mom can save some money and not have to phone me to tell me and ask me all about it. Every time the story comes up she must see a spike in her cell phone bill.

Edited January 5, 2013 by HappyMartin

[fandacious]

Is Lance Armstrong considering a confession?

 

i'm sorry, but i dont think he should get off that easy. All the people who's lives he ruined (andreu's etc), and now he wants to make a confession? The ONLY reason he wants a confession is because it no longer makes financial sense to deny. If he makes a confession and comes clean, theres another few hundred mill in book deals and sponsorships. The whole thing is a game. He is the type of person who would confess, even if he was clean, just to make money

[kosmonooit]

Personally I think him and his legacy should get flushed down the toilet with no further ado. Nothing he can say or do will redeem him. He is a liar, a cheat, a bully and more, and extorted all the sympathy and love people gave him around his cancer episode, that is despicable.

 

Panzi!

[gummibear]

Personally I think him and his legacy should get flushed down the toilet with no further ado. Nothing he can say or do will redeem him. He is a liar, a cheat, a bully and more, and extorted all the sympathy and love people gave him around his cancer episode, that is despicable.

 

Panzi!

 

He still has many fans who worship him.

I have never seen as many Livestrong bands as I did in the last few days in PE.Most being non cyclist though.

[Azonic]

Some people are wondering if he even had cancer to begin with, or whether it was the beginning of the big lie.

[DIPSLICK]

Conspiracy theories, really he faked cancer!!!Seriaaas

[GrumpyOldGuy]

i'm sorry, but i dont think he should get off that easy. All the people who's lives he ruined (andreu's etc), and now he wants to make a confession? The ONLY reason he wants a confession is because it no longer makes financial sense to deny. If he makes a confession and comes clean, theres another few hundred mill in book deals and sponsorships. The whole thing is a game. He is the type of person who would confess, even if he was clean, just to make money

 

I tend to agree, to have denied for so long and then when faced with his current situation to suddenly make an about turn and say "Yeah I lied" wouldn't do much for what little credibility he still has.

 

I am not sure he would risk that.

[TNT1]

i'm sorry, but i dont think he should get off that easy. All the people who's lives he ruined (andreu's etc), and now he wants to make a confession? The ONLY reason he wants a confession is because it no longer makes financial sense to deny. If he makes a confession and comes clean, theres another few hundred mill in book deals and sponsorships. The whole thing is a game. He is the type of person who would confess, even if he was clean, just to make money

 

100%

 

It's all about the money!

[Guest Omega Man]

i'm sorry, but i dont think he should get off that easy. All the people who's lives he ruined (andreu's etc), and now he wants to make a confession? The ONLY reason he wants a confession is because it no longer makes financial sense to deny. If he makes a confession and comes clean, theres another few hundred mill in book deals and sponsorships. The whole thing is a game. He is the type of person who would confess, even if he was clean, just to make money

I hate to agree with you but i do. I don't think it's a game tho. I think it's BIG money. I think when he comes clean (He will for sure) there will be a major book release and it will outsell any Dan Brown novel.

 

I even have a good title for him. I told you it wasn't about the bike.

[Guest Heino]

Im gonna flame this.... He still trained for His seven titles. However, what I dont like, is he the fact that he stepped on people to get what he wanted, he intimidated people,treated them like crap! That is not on! Further to this, I dont respect him, because he does not believe in anything, he, the honourable lying cheating Lance Armstrong is an Atheist, Im sorry, if you belive in NOTHING I dont have time for you, if you believe in SOMETHING that is respectable. When he was sick , or shall i say "sick" he did not give honour to any higher power, but himself. Im sorry but that to me is just plan stupid or very arrogant. Dont want to make this a religious form, but hey, come on...

 

It like to end by saying, even if I popped double their EPO or testosterone, and used gowfth (spellin) hormones and doped my blood til I died, I would not have been able to achieve to finish just one tour, so we have to ask, is he so wrong? I know he is a d%&k, but if you had a lie and believed yourself, you would also take time to confess....

[HappyMartin]

I don't really understand your post Heino. Are you saying it is OK to lie and cheat and step on people as long as you believe in a higher power?

 

Is it then not OK if you are nice to people and help them but don't believe in God?

 

As I say I don't understand your post. Cheating is cheating and there should be consequences. I don't say judge the person but I do say judge the act. I don't care what LA believes or doesn't believe. I care that if he cheated he should not derive benefit from that and clean riders should be protected from the cheats. Yes there were and are clean riders. Unfortunately they were not allowed a career in cycling due to rampant cheating. I think that is changing, at least I hope so.

[Guest Heino]

I don't really understand your post Heino. Are you saying it is OK to lie and cheat and step on people as long as you believe in a higher power?

 

Is it then not OK if you are nice to people and help them but don't believe in God?

 

As I say I don't understand your post. Cheating is cheating and there should be consequences. I don't say judge the person but I do say judge the act. I don't care what LA believes or doesn't believe. I care that if he cheated he should not derive benefit from that and clean riders should be protected from the cheats. Yes there were and are clean riders. Unfortunately they were not allowed a career in cycling due to rampant cheating. I think that is changing, at least I hope so.

 

I agree with the point you made. I think what i am trying to get across is that the doping scandal is much bigger than we could all imagine, read "The Secret Race". it sheds some light on the issue. To briefly make my point: If you cheat and everyone cheats, how wrong is it then? I do not for one minute agree with it, but look at it like this, if you do something that everyone is doing to make a living, would you feel so guilty about it? If you have read the book it might make better sence... And then on a personal note, I mentioned not liking the arrogance and non believing whihc is part of his caracter I now dislike after many years of him being my idle... (Like millions of other people admired him.) Maybe the personal side of things should have been left out of the post if you know what I mean...

[HappyMartin]

I read the secret race.

 

This story of everyone was doing it is a myth put out by people like Landis and other apologists. It is complete rubbish and needs to be put to rest for two reasons.

1 if everyone is doing it is no excuse. If lots of men rape women that is no excuse for rape. If lots of people drive drunk that is no excuse. Morality is morality and what is wrong is wrong. Wrong does not become right If a lot of people say so.

2 Not everyone was doing it. There were honest people with morality that were forced out of the sport because they refused to cheat. What about them?

['Dale]

 

 

i'm sorry, but i dont think he should get off that easy. All the people who's lives he ruined (andreu's etc), and now he wants to make a confession? The ONLY reason he wants a confession is because it no longer makes financial sense to deny. If he makes a confession and comes clean, theres another few hundred mill in book deals and sponsorships. The whole thing is a game. He is the type of person who would confess, even if he was clean, just to make money

 

Excellent view of the scenario, Fand.