Lance Armstrong... cheater

[Elok]

5. It is important to highlight to athletes for the future that if you are cheating using something there isn't a test for, and a test becomes available you can still be retrospectively stripped of your medal. This is important to try and prevent people doping in future.

I don't much care if he loses his titles or whatever, but *retroactively*.

[Asher]

So does anyone still seriously believe he didn't dope?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/usada-report-lance-armstrong-part-of-most-sophisticated-doping-program-sport-has-ever-seen/article4601256/

USADA report: Lance Armstrong part of most sophisticated doping program sport has ever seen
By OLIVER MOORE
News release says 11 former teammates provided evidence against cycling great

The most loyal support rider throughout Lance Armstrong's career testified that the champion cyclist used performance enhancing drugs, the U.S. anti-doping agency said.

In an excerpt of the "reasoned decision" on which USADA based its case, George Hincapie also said that Armstrong gave him EPO, a banned drug, for his own use.

Although Hincapie had seemed to suggest in a statement released Wednesday that he had no choice but to dope - pointing to a drug-soaked cycling era that made it "not possible to compete at the highest level without them" - his testimony is seen to be highly damaging to Armstrong. Other people who pointed the finger have been dismissed as liars and losers with an axe to grind. But Hincapie and Armstrong formed a career-long bond that seemed almost fraternal.

The material released by the U.S. anti-doping agency [http://d3epuodzu3wuis.cloudfront.net...ddecision.pdf] - which it is sending to the Union Cycliste Internationale, which governs the sport - paints a damning figure of doping within Armstrong's United States Postal team.

In one of many incidents listed, a team doctor is alleged to have sneaked a bag of saline past a drug-tester in 1998 and then administered it to Armstrong before his sample was taken, reducing his red-blood cell count to an acceptable level.

At the other end of his career, the report raises concerns about blood taken from Armstrong in his comeback years. Doctor Christopher Gore, head of physiology at the Australian Institute of Sport, is cited saying that there was less than a one in a million chance Armstrong's low level of immature blood cells, which can be caused by blood doping, occurred due to natural causes. And his plasma level rose during the 2009 Tour de France, a normal occurrence after strenuous physical activity, before suddenly dropping one week into the race.

"This would not happen naturally, but would happen if Armstrong engaged in blood transfusion during this period," the anti-doping agency said. "USADA has requested laboratory and collection information from UCI appropriate to validate the accuracy of the UCI blood test results given to Prof. Gore. UCI has refused to provide USADA laboratory data without Mr. Armstrong's consent, which he has refused to give."

The full case against Lance Armstrong runs to more than 1,000 pages and paints a picture of what USADA calls "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."

United States Anti-Doping Agency head Travis Tygart said Wednesday that 11 other former team-mates of Armstrong were among 26 witnesses giving sworn testimony.

"The evidence also includes direct documentary evidence including financial payments, e-mails, scientific data and laboratory test results that further prove the use, possession and distribution of performance enhancing drugs by Lance Armstrong," Mr. Tygart said.

"The USPS Team doping conspiracy was professionally designed to groom and pressure athletes to use dangerous drugs, to evade detection, to ensure its secrecy and ultimately gain an unfair competitive advantage through superior doping practices. A program organized by individuals who thought they were above the rules and who still play a major and active role in sport today."

USADA noted that Armstrong had been offered an opportunity to "come forward and be part of the solution" but had declined. In August they took his decision not to contest their charges as a tacit admission of guilt and said he should be stripped of his Tour de France victories.

The UCI said at the time it would not act to strip Armstrong until it receive supporting material. USADA said they would be sent the full report Wednesday.

Armstrong, who has defended his reputation vigorously in the past, was quiet Wednesday.

[Alexander's Horse]

Armstrong is worse than a cheat, he is a liar and a cheat, and has totally trashed his reputation with his own lies. There are few examples of sports people who have fallen as far as this creep. Maybe one rung or two above O.J. Simpson in disgrace?

[Kidlicious]

Well if they were all doping Armstrong is still the winner.

[Berzerker]

If I had his kind of money, I would throw lawyers at my accusers until they died from lawyer-throwing impact wounds.

i'm drunk

but he is a cheater

now who wrote that book exposing the drug use in baseball

and i dont mean pot or cocaine, i'm talking speed

[Tupac Shakur]

So does anyone still seriously believe he didn't dope?

Who cares?

Maybe one rung or two above O.J. Simpson in disgrace?

[regexcellent]

If I doped, here's how it happened.

[Wezil]

So does anyone still seriously believe he didn't dope?

After being so adamant in the defence, I'm waiting for TMM's current position...

[The Mad Monk]

Seated, at present.

[Dinner]

So does anyone still seriously believe he didn't dope?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle4601256/

I blame Canada. Surely it is their fault.

[Wezil]

Seated, at present.

It's not really a site rule. You are allowed to admit you were wrong...

[Wezil]

****, I see even Limbaugh has back pedalled on it.

[The Mad Monk]

It's not really a site rule. You are allowed to admit you were wrong...

That's good to know...

[Wezil]

So you're doubling down then?

[The Mad Monk]

Sure, if it keeps you on the line.