Lance Armstrong is a true tragedy to triumph story. He overcame testicular cancer to become cycling’s Michael Jordan. He broke records and the crowd went wild. These days the crowd is going wild for different reasons. The man who was once on top is being erased from the very sport he once dominated all because he took performance enhancing drugs.
Via Radar Online
After a historic run atop the sport, on Monday the International Cycling Union (UCI) officially stripped the cyclist of the seven-time Tour de France of the titles he won from 1999 to 2005 in August, and banned him from the sport for life.
UCI President Pat McQuaid said that Lance Armstrong “has no place in cycling and he deserves to be forgotten,” calling the erasing of the disgraced athlete’s name from the record books “a landmark day for cycling.”
McQuaid said he was sickened after last week’s release of a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that included testimony from 26 witnesses, including 11 ex-teammates of Armstrong’s, attesting to his sophisticated brand of cheating.
“There are many more details of doping that are hidden, many more doping doctors, and corrupt team directors and the omerta has not yet been fully broken.”
Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said Armstong should give back his winnings for the seven titles.
“We wish that there is no winner for this period,” Prudhomme said. “For us, very clearly, the titles should remain blank. Effectively, we wish for these years to remain without winners.”
In August, Armstong lashed back at his critics, saying “I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours.
“The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change that.”
On Friday, cycling officials will determine whether they’ll pursue stripping the bronze medal Armstrong won in the 2000 Olympics.
This is especially sad for me, being from Austin, TX, Lance Armstrong was a hero here. It sucks that he got caught up in this huge mess that has now cost him his Livestrong charity, his integrity and everything he (questionably) worked hard for. I don’t know who I feel bad for, him or the people who believed in him.
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