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War of the Words: Lance Armstrong loses it

Armstrongs still a hero (even with zero)

Lance Armstrong

By Josh Martin, Sports Editor

ance Armstrong won the Tour de France seven years

in a row from 1999 to 2005, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) doesn’t believe he did it fairly. Even

Not buying what Armstrong's pedaling

By Eric Wilkins, Staff Writer

e all know Lance Armstrong and his inspiring

story. The man was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, but didn’t quit. He fought through the extensive treatments and survived. Not content with being a cancer survivor, Armstrong returned to cycling. Refusing to settle for just being a racer again, Armstrong would go on to win seven Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005. Incredible.

However, Armstrong

though throughout those seven years Mr. Armstrong did numerous drug tests to prove that he’s innocent (blood, urine, whatever,) they still aren’t satisfied. They would like him to do some more tests because, “how on earth could someone win seven titles in a row of the Tour de France?” Even though he hasn’t crowned the trophy in seven years.

So, Lance decides to stand up for himself and say no to these USADA bullies.

“No, I’m not going to do another stupid drug test because you think I was doping.”

And they say back, “Well then, since you’ re refusing that means you're guilty and we will take

recently gave up his fight with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which had accused him of taking performance-enhancing drugs during his career. In doing so, Armstrong has been stripped of all his accomplishments from

away all of your titles and on top of that ban you from ever partaking in the sport... for the rest of your life!”

Yes, it has ridiculous animated movie written all over it. The hero takes a stand and the villain tries to rip him apart. The only difference is that in most movies, the hero comes out on top and defeats the villain. In this case, Armstrong is taking a stand but there’s nothing he can do. He hits rock bottom. Perhaps this movie isn’t over?

Perhaps, Mr. Armstrong himself put it best; “If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA’s process, I could confront these allegations in a fair setting and once and for all put these charges

secret. Countless riders have been busted for taking illicit substances, and countless more have come forward and outright admitted it. All one needs to do is take

a look at the top finishes in the Tour de France. Alberto Contador, Floyd Landis,

to rest, | would jump at the chance. But I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair. Regardless of what Travis Tygart [the CEO of the USADA] says, there is zero physical evidence to support his outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colours. I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In—competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for | provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it?”

Why are all of these drug tests necessary if the USADA is going to second-

these are just the ones who have either been caught or confessed. A startling statistic is that, since Bjarne Riis’ win in 1996, only three winners of the tour have been clean.

Further evidence against Armstrong is the

6 An innocent man has nothing to be ashamed of.

August 1, 1998 and onward.

But is he actually guilty? Was that miraculous run of Tour de France titles really just a drug-fuelled mirage? Is the American just another pretender? Signs point to yes.

Cycling is a sport rife with drugs. This is no

Marco Pantani, Jan Ullrich, and Bjarne Riis have all been nailed for doping, and these are just the winners of the event. The top 10

of most of the recent Tour de France races generally have at least half of the cyclists implicated in some sort of drug scandal, and

simple fact that he’s giving up fighting against the USADA’s charges. An innocent man has nothing to be ashamed of, and thus can, and should, stand up to all accusations levelled against him because he has done no wrong. Armstrong has refused to carry on

guess their tests and re-do them? Were their own prior tests not up to par with their tests now? The only evidence that Lance Armstrong did indeed take athletic enhancing drugs during his productive tenure is the fact that he will not take another drug test seven years after his final title.

Where does that leave us? The villain succeeding in taking down the hero who overcame testicular cancer—along with taking away his titles and banning him of ever competing in the sport again...and so far nobody can stop him.

defending himself, and one may interpret this as an admission of guilt. Armstrong has always been a fighter. He doesn’t give up. He doesn’t settle for less. So why, after having been through so much, is he giving up now? Most likely, Armstrong knows that the USADA will get some hard evidence on him eventually, and, instead of fruitlessly continuing to defend himself, he has chosen to muddy the waters sufficiently enough that no one will ever know for certain whether he doped or not, thus ensuring his fame will live on in some

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