I bought those Oakleys back when Oakley was the only sponsor who still supported Lance after he got cancer. I still feel the same way and he'll always be 100% WHOLE Hero to me.
LIVESTRONG!
Posted on 08/23/2012 10:18:32 PM PDT by Domandred
AUSTIN, Texas - August 23rd, 2012 - There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today – finished with this nonsense.
I had hoped that a federal court would stop USADA’s charade. Although the court was sympathetic to my concerns and recognized the many improprieties and deficiencies in USADA’s motives, its conduct, and its process, the court ultimately decided that it could not intervene.
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 to rest, I 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 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 colors. I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In-competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it?
From the beginning, however, this investigation has not been about learning the truth or cleaning up cycling, but about punishing me at all costs. I am a retired cyclist, yet USADA has lodged charges over 17 years old despite its own 8-year limitation. As respected organizations such as UCI and USA Cycling have made clear, USADA lacks jurisdiction even to bring these charges. The international bodies governing cycling have ordered USADA to stop, have given notice that no one should participate in USADA’s improper proceedings, and have made it clear the pronouncements by USADA that it has banned people for life or stripped them of their accomplishments are made without authority. And as many others, including USADA’s own arbitrators, have found, there is nothing even remotely fair about its process.
USADA has broken the law, turned its back on its own rules, and stiff-armed those who have tried to persuade USADA to honor its obligations. At every turn, USADA has played the role of a bully, threatening everyone in its way and challenging the good faith of anyone who questions its motives or its methods, all at U.S. taxpayers’ expense. For the last two months, USADA has endlessly repeated the mantra that there should be a single set of rules, applicable to all, but they have arrogantly refused to practice what they preach. On top of all that, USADA has allegedly made deals with other riders that circumvent their own rules as long as they said I cheated. Many of those riders continue to race today.
The bottom line is I played by the rules that were put in place by the UCI, WADA and USADA when I raced. The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. It’s an unfair approach, applied selectively, in opposition to all the rules. It’s just not right.
USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles. 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. We all raced together. For three weeks over the same roads, the same mountains, and against all the weather and elements that we had to confront. There were no shortcuts, there was no special treatment. The same courses, the same rules. The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change that. Especially not Travis Tygart.
Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors and the milestone of raising nearly $500 million. We have a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission. Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer, and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet.
Tyler Hamilton’s B sample from the olympics showed evidence of doping. He had to give up his gold medal because of it. He was caught red handed.
Sorry, but just because you have “heard” things about LA from other cyclists is not evidence in my book. There is tremendous jealousy of him from other cyclists because of his Tour victories and celebrity. Ask an American to name a professional cyclist and he will say Lance Armstrong. Plus, it makes a person a big shot is they can say in hushed tones “I KNOW LA is guilty! I was THERE!”
I’ll say it again- no one could have passed 100s of random tests if he was doping. It’s just not possible. (Which is why cyclists are getting caught all the time)
dang ipad hang ups, sorry for double post
Thank for the ping, this is well written. I’m a recreational and transportational cyclist. After spending two months in the hospital last year, I don’t want any more needles stuck in me. So I wouldn’t even think about doping.
Not quite correct. He's being found guilty despite the fact that all the evidence shows he did NOT dope.
Armstrong passed each and every ADA test. Now the ADA is saying that their tests "weren't reliable" and that there's enough "circumstantial evidence" and shaky testimony from Armstrong's rivals who are bitter over his defeating them, to over-rule their own tests and declare Armstrong guilty of doping.
All the FACTUAL EVIDENCE shows Armstrong didn't do what he's accused of, yet they find him guilty anyway and strip him of his titles.
It's a scary day in America when one is found guilty with no supporting evidence, and all evidence to the contrary indicating innocence anyway.
Now, I'm not a fan of cycling or Armstrong. (I do use his Livestrong app on my iPad to control my weight and blood sugar though, and it's a great app. It's helped me IMMENSELY.) I do happen to think he's an incredible athlete along the lines of Michael Jordan (for example...) and is one of those "once in a lifetime" athletes that's just better than everyone else.
I don't fault Armstrong for walking away from the fight. This has been going on since what, 1999 and at some point you just have to move on with your life. His supporters will always be his supporters and his naysayers will still be his naysayers. His disengaging from the fight won't change that, IMO.
One last thing: No one can ever take away the fact Armstrong BEAT all those guys despite the ADA's "ruling." Unless and until the ADA subjects each and every rider in each and every race that Armstrong won and proves none of them were doping, this is all bullsh*t anyway. I for one hope Armstrong continues the great work LIVESTRONG has done for cancer research. No athlete has done as much for that cause as Armstrong - and for that he should absolutely be commended.
Cheaters pass tests all the time in all sports! The designer drugs are ALWAYS ahead of the testing. Guys only get caught when they get sloppy!
10 witnesses against Armstrong. They aren’t all lying. He’s a cheater and a fraud. It’s tough to admit when you were conned, but we were all conned!
Well said Lance.....
You're right, I don't know who I'm talking to so unless you can prove your identity then prove he's a cheater, you're just another cyberjerk phony with an axe to grind against Armstrong.
Were those the ones testifying under "anonymity"? And what were they promised in return?
Like that loser Floyd Landis? Maybe he should have been using the same dope Armstrong was........
Were those the ones testifying under "anonymity"? And what were they promised in return?
Like that loser Floyd Landis? Maybe he should have been using the same dope Armstrong was........
Were you riding along side him in the cancer ward? Was he cheating then?
Up yours and the joquewagon full of sour grapes you rode in on.
Hey France - INSPECT THIS: [censored].
But that’s not what forced him to write the open letter.
Thank you. Very good reasoning. Several questions arise: why are they investigating someone who has retired? Why do they ignore hundreds of certified tests? Why are they persecuting Lance?
Just have to add that I dont really care for Lance personally, I dont care for the way he treated his family, but give the man his due. He gave all he had to win, and he achieved his objective.
When Ben Johnson won the 1988 Olympic 100m in Seoul he subsequently tested positive and was stripped of his gold medal and it was handed to Carl Lewis who has also been suspected of using performance enhancers in his career.
“I’ve ridden alongside of him in the peloton!”
“I KNOW Lance Armstrong! “
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2922267/posts?page=10#10
Uhuh.
VS:
“I raced in two races with him. Both at Leadville.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2922236/posts?page=27#27
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2922267/posts?page=96#96
Two MTB races = “I KNOW Lance Armstrong!”
LOL. Is that the exaggerated scent of Bovine “Lycra Groupie” Excrement wafting through the air?
How many hours did Lance humiliate you by BJ, err JB?
How do you KNOW there are 10 witnesses. Because THe USADA says so? They won’t name them, except the two disgraced guys we already know about, two who are known to have doped.
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