Lance Armstrong

[RichC]

I just don't get how he's managed to pass all these tests he's taken over the years time and again.

[G]

I don't think so. If it was just Hamilton and Landis, then I'm sure he'd have fought. Two witnesses with a long established record of lying to the authorities in quasi-judicial processes? His lawyers would have had a field day.

Supposedly there are at least ten cyclists or former cyclists, including ones with a hitherto clean record. Like I said, it's arguable that their evidence is tainted because they may have been offered a deal. But again, Armstrong's lawyers could have fought if that's all it was.

The argument is he's given up because he'd have been found guilty and he'd have been found guilty because he is guilty. I really believe it's that straightforward.

It's sad in a way but there's no avoiding it.

Nobody knows but him and his accusers.

He said he's not fighting it because he believes he has no chance of a fair hearing.

I certainly have no idea to his guilt or innocence but I don't think either side comes out of it very well. Certainly if he has been doping for all those years then the anti doping agency's in all sports need to take a long hard look at their methods.

[Fredo]

Agree with Neil. Always been suspicious of Armstrong, maybe because he's won an incredible 7 tours - absolutely incredible feat. And the competition was fierce at the time, partly because a lot of riders were cheating at the time. I can't believe he'd have achieved what he achieved without cheating in a way.

It's sad for the sport. Armstrong was a role model, not just for his battle against cancer but for what he achieved in the sport. I can't believe he'd have let this one go without a fight after going through all of this.

[kingfunk]

Yip, evidence of him having blood transfusions to avoid detection will come out shortly. Like Mr. Young says, it's as simple as that.

[Buzzo]

I was of course joking. What he has done for cancer is amazing. That should never be overlooked

Ah - I get cha. Without smileys I occasionally miss jokes and sarcasm. Unless its Neil Young in which case Sarcasm is (normally) a given!

[dom9]

Yip, evidence of him having blood transfusions to avoid detection will come out shortly. Like Mr. Young says, it's as simple as that.

Evidence, or testimony?

[Shaggy]

Incredible stuff, what a ****ing cheating *******.

[kingfunk]

Your honour, the witness can clearly read the post, why the rhetorical questions?

Judge: Dom, sit down.

[G]

All the riders who finished second to him on his tour wins have doping history's.

They need to be very careful who gets awarded those wins.

[G]

The more I read the more I see general opinion of those close to the sport are that everyone was at it back then.

That being the case it's still an achievement for him to win 7 tours against all his drug adled competitors

[Ben_Itez]

Really? I hadn't heard that. I've always heard him spoken of as someone with an impeccable record, a paragon.

Still, athletics - it's long been rotten and has done less to clear itself up than cycling has.

Lewis has long been suspected of cheating.


From Wiki:

In 2003, Dr. Wade Exum, the United States Olympic Committee's director of drug control administration from 1991 to 2000, gave copies of documents to Sports Illustrated which revealed that some 100 American athletes who failed drug tests and should have been prevented from competing in the Olympics were nevertheless cleared to compete. Among those athletes was Lewis.[74]

It was revealed that Lewis tested positive three times before the 1988 Olympics for pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine, banned stimulants and bronchodilators also found in cold medication, and had been banned from the Seoul Olympics and from competition for six months. The USOC accepted his claim of inadvertent use and overturned the decision. Fellow Santa Monica Track Club teammates Joe DeLoach and Floyd Heard were also found to have the same banned stimulants in their systems, and were cleared to compete for the same reason.[75][76]

The positive results occurred at the Olympic Trials in July 1988 where athletes were required to declare on the drug-testing forms "over-the-counter medication, prescription drugs and any other substances you have taken by mouth, injection or by suppository."

"Carl did nothing wrong. There was never intent. He was never told, you violated the rules," said Martin D. Singer, Lewis's lawyer, who also said that Lewis had inadvertently taken the banned stimulants in an over-the-counter herbal remedy.[77] "The only thing I can say is I think it's unfortunate what Wade Exum is trying to do," said Lewis. "I don't know what people are trying to make out of nothing because everyone was treated the same, so what are we talking about? I don't get it."[78] The International Olympic Committee's medical commission chairman, Arne Ljungqvist, said the Exum documents "fit a pattern" of failure to report on positive drug cases.

He also started wearing braces in his mid 20's which is another indicator of steroid abuse as it can affect your jaw and teeth position apparently. Try watching the recent documentary on the Seoul 1988 100m, fascinating stuff. Probably only a couple of clean athletes in the field.

[kingfunk]

Iv long had the view that sports men and women should be aloud take all the drugs the want, much more entertaining, by the next Olympics we could see a new 100m sprint in 3.12 seconds.....Awesome!

[Pablo]

I've already campaigned extensively for a Druglympics!

[Buzzo]

I had no idea Carl Lewis was a suspected Drug Guy.

He has always traded on the fact that he wasn't... I dunno.... Wiki as the source as well...

[Buzzo]

Lewis making a tit off himself in this article. Thats ****ing Junkies for you eh....

Bolt: No respect for Carl Lewis over drug slurs
Newly-crowned "greatest-ever sprinter"

Usain Bolt has said he had lost all respect for Carl Lewis, the man whose on-track exploits he has surpassed with his unique Olympic double-double but who still leads the way in self-regard.
American Lewis is the only other man to win two Olympic 100m gold medals, the second coming in 1988 when he was promoted from second place after the disqualification of Ben Johnson.

He won the 200m in 1984 but managed only silver four years later. He did, however, have a remarkable run of success in the long jump, winning that event in four successive Games for a tally of nine golds in all.

In the wake of Bolt's triple-gold record success in Beijing Lewis was quick to point the finger of suspicion at him and Jamaica in general.

"I think there are some issues," he said at the time.

"Countries like Jamaica do not have a random (drugs testing) program, so they can go months without being tested. I'm not saying anyone is on anything, but everyone needs to be on a level playing field.

"I'm not saying they've done anything for certain. I don't know. But how dare anybody feel that there shouldn't be scrutiny, especially in our sport?" He has continued to fire broadsides ever since but Bolt, now with his sprinting record unquestionably superior, hit back.

"I'm going to say something controversial right now, Carl Lewis - I have no respect for him," Bolt said, having cited 1936 quadruple champion Jesse Owens as a man he held in the highest regard.

"The things he (Lewis) says about the track athletes, it's really downgrading for another athlete to be saying something like that about other athletes.

"I think he is just looking for attention really because nobody really talks much about him. It was really sad for me when I heard the other day what he was saying, it was upsetting.

"So, for me, I've lost all respect for him, all respect.

"It was all about drugs, about drugs stuff for me. For an athlete to be out of the sport saying that was really upsetting for me. As far as I am concerned he is just looking for attention."

Lewis tested positive three times for a stimulant before the 1988 Games but had the results overturned by American officials.

He was named "Athlete of the 20th Century" by the IOC, the IAAF, and American magazine Sports Illustrated and has always seemed uncomfortable with the idea that someone from the 21st century could surpass his achievements.

Asked before the London Games what he thought of Bolt, he said: "It's just... interesting.

"I watch the results like everyone else and wait... for time to tell."

Even after Bolt won his second 100m title, Lewis's congratulations were wrapped in barbed wire.

"He repeats and he's tremendous and he's the second person to do it and congratulations," he said last week.

"The thing for me, what I really admire about anyone, is longevity. We still have to have the longevity and dominance through the era because for me performance-wise, you really have to put longevity in.

"I'm really not trying to take anything away from his performance because it was tremendous, but you've got to see the consistency over a period of time because as of now it's just a four-year period and you really have to see a continuous dominance.

"We'll see."

Link