Posted on 08/23/2012 8:23:23 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday night it will strip Lance Armstrong of his unprecedented seven Tour de France titles after he declared he was finished fighting the drug charges that threaten his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists of all time.
Travis Tygart, USADA's chief executive, said Armstrong would also be hit with a lifetime ban on Friday.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
“There is zero physical evidence to support
(the) outlandish and heinous claims,” Armstrong
said. “The only physical evidence here is the
hundreds of (doping) controls I have passed with
flying colors.”
Oh... and which is more likely?
Armstrong cheated or there is a conspiracy for some known-only-to-God reason by a cadre of individuals who must hate the Cheater just because he “won” and are trying to destroy him?
You sir, are a fool.
Nice emotional response to a logical argument.
Perhaps you would consent to answering a simple question...
What evidence that is admissible within the bicycling sports world has USADA presented that shows he is guilty?
Forget, if you can, your prior decision that he IS guilty.
I haven’t defended anyone. I have simply identified that USADA ignores the rules in order to pursue Armstrong. If that is your preferred method of “justice”, then perhaps you may be on the wrong forum?
BTW - if Pro Cycling is the “dirtiest sport”, why are you advocating that the second most successful “cheater” (using your conclusion) be rewarded, when the most successful “cheater” never got caught? Envy? LOL
I have determined that if Jesus Christ himnself told you he cheated you’d try and attack him too. You are a fool and Armstrong THE CHEATER is your daddy.
Again, a nice, sloppy ad hominem.
Apparently the “seriousness of the charge” is enough, in your book.
I am not the fool here, my FRiend.
(You still appear not to have noticed that I have not claimed that Armstrong is innocent. I simply acknowledge that the allegations are unproven.)
Why train in the rain, the cold, the heat, for countless hours if all he needed was some illegal drugs? This disgusts me, they've had it in for him for years, jealousy is a horrible affliction!
He'd have to be pretty stupid to dope, knowing all eyes were on him & the drug testing was much more aggressive toward him than anyone else! He's not stupid!
It’s amusing to see you try to read my mind, when you apparently can’t even read my posts.
To my understanding - and if I am incorrect (based on the actual rules for detecting doping, as opposed to opinions about the rules) I will freely admit it - that hearsay evidence is not the standard for stripping titles. Physical evidence is required. If you have information to the contrary, please provide a link so I can educate myself.
You really should look up the definition of ad hominem. Repeatedly attacking someone just because they have a differing opinion is so very liberal. Try attacking the actual substance of the debate, and perhaps you will have a modicum of success.
Agreed. I am unwilling to treat any athlete like a god for any reason whatsoever. Because the excel at a game or other sport does not make them superior human beings.
I have to admit that I do object to the trial-by-innuendo tactics employed in this case.
However, if physical evidence (or otherwise admissible evidence under existing world cycling rules) can be brought forward to prove he doped - I say he should be punished in accordance with the established rules. Until such time as it is proven, the track record shows this to be a witch hunt, in my opinion.
Rush is speaking about this right now. Lance is most likely a lib, however, he did something the left hates. He succeeded. The left goes after anyone out of the ordinary mold, anyone who actually succeeds in anything.
This is pure BS. These people need to have their urine and blood examined to see what they are all on. This guy came back from the death sentence from testicular cancer to win 7 Tours De France.
Are they going to follow him to his grave???
Obviously it has been proven to the people who made the decison to ban and strip him.OBVIOUSLY
You seem to think that everyday life is like the inside of a courtroom. This is not a reasonable doubt case.
Why would they want to ban and strip him unjustly?
The issue is the USADA rigged the hearing to make it a kangaroo court. There was no way for Armstrong to PROVE INNOCENCE. He wa being forced to prove a negative.
They had to resort to a rigged arbitration because no court of law would have sustained their claims. Physical tests trump bitter heresay.
Obviously it has been proven to the people who made the decison to ban and strip him.OBVIOUSLY
You seem to think that everyday life is like the inside of a courtroom. This is not a reasonable doubt case.
Why would they want to ban and strip him unjustly?
she left him because she was a lefty and he was a buddy of George W. Bush. what do you think now?
I believe that Lance himself is another leftwing A-hole too.
He supports gun control and wouldn’t surprise me if he supports obama too.
Because illegal drugs are “all he needs”, it’s all about seconds. The head of Balco while talking about sprinters said the drugs could turn a 10.0 runner into a 9.7 runner, but you still need to be a 10.0 runner before the drugs to get to 9.7 with. You stack up advantages, if his bike isn’t good enough all the drugs in the world won’t help, if his clothes make too much drag they undo the drugs, he trained because the drugs make the training more effective.
The fact of the matter is his sport is rife with drug use. There’s 3 TDF winners since 1991 with no positive test and no sanctions. And it’s just as bad all the way back, check the chart at the bottom of this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_at_the_Tour_de_France#Status_of_Tour_de_France_winners
It’s why in general in cycling you’re better off assuming the winner did dope, the clean guys are a distinct minority.
since the USADA has no enforcement authority outside their own little clique, this has the real world likelihood of creating a backlash to make the USADA totally insignificant.
USADA certification becomes a joke.
Why would they want to ban and strip him unjustly?
Thank you for the reasoned response.
USADA is vying to convince the public that their actions are just. This is a public opinion court drama. However, USADA has failed to show the "admissible" evidence that proves their allegations.
The reason why I stress "admissible" is that the pro cycling tour has very specific rules for detecting and punishing the use of performance enhancing substances. Using a separate set of rules to allege doping, after the fact and outside USADA's own "statute of limitations", is a classic example of moving the goal post.
With respect to the convincing of the USADA folks - consider that you are advocating that Armstrong doped based on their saying so, without having seen the evidence. We have no basis to believe that they have seen any more physical evidence than we have.
If Armstrong doped, and it can be proven - then he should be punished to the fullest extent of the rules, and not one inch further. If they cannot prove it within the existing rules, Armstrong should be left alone.
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