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Lance Armstrong being stripped of all titles.

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,818 ✭✭✭Inspector Coptoor


    Kev M wrote: »
    Then there's the people who actually have a clue, and realise that LA competed on a level playing field where everyone used something...
    The guy has been a role model professional. He's done so much good in his life, it's saddening to see his name dragged through the mud like this when his only REAL crime is being the best...
    What a stupid post. It's entirely possible that the guy who should have won those races is some extremely talented but honest pro who, because he's clean, has trailed in behind 30 or 40 or 50 dopers. The fact that Armstrong was the best of the cheats does not mean that he deserves the titles. Can you imagine how good any of the clean riders have to be to compete against the dopers - to even be in the same race? And I'm afraid if you expect us to believe that every single professional rider in the world is cheating, then you are going to have to present some proof.


    Sarcasm can be pretty sarcastic sometimes.....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 426 ✭✭Shane Fitz


    Just an FYI for so many posters highlighting the lack of proof " beyond a reasonable doubt", that burden of proof is only required in criminal law.
    In this instance, the burden of proof is "the balance of probabilities" as 1 poster has said.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭Kev M


    Kev M wrote: »
    Then there's the people who actually have a clue, and realise that LA competed on a level playing field where everyone used something...
    The guy has been a role model professional. He's done so much good in his life, it's saddening to see his name dragged through the mud like this when his only REAL crime is being the best...
    The fact that Armstrong was the best of the cheats does not mean that he deserves the titles.

    Yes it does, or at the very least i believe it should now be accepted for what it was. That's the disagreement. Don't think it's really that 'stupid'.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,455 ✭✭✭✭Monty Burnz


    Kev M wrote: »
    Yes it does, or at the very least i believe it should now be accepted for what it was. That's the disagreement. Don't think it's really that 'stupid'.
    And what about the poor idealistic clowns who were trying to race him without the drugs? Guys who may well have been faster than him if he weren't cheating? Guys that the likes of Armstrong drove out of the sport as they learned they couldn't beat the cheats?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 287 ✭✭Ri na hEireann


    Kev M wrote: »
    Yes it does, or at the very least i believe it should now be accepted for what it was. That's the disagreement. Don't think it's really that 'stupid'.

    So you think that would send out a good message? It's basically something like this - "Ah sure there was so many at it. He was obviously best at EPO-aided cycling compared to the others who were also EPO-aided. It was what it was and he's still the champ (of EPO-aided cycling). Forget about the few fools who didn't want it enough to pump roids in to themselves or have blood transfusions, sure they were never going to get near him anyway."


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭Kev M


    Kev M wrote: »
    Yes it does, or at the very least i believe it should now be accepted for what it was. That's the disagreement. Don't think it's really that 'stupid'.
    And what about the poor idealistic clowns who were trying to race him without the drugs? Guys who may well have been faster than him if he weren't cheating? Guys that the likes of Armstrong drove out of the sport as they learned they couldn't beat the cheats?

    That's the reality of the top level, in a lot of sports. And to be honest I would struggle to believe anyone in the tdf (especially in lance's prime) is clean, they just wouldn't keep up, in my opinion of course :) .. And to suggest that a lifetime natural rider could get to tdf level without ever having to overcome juiced competition only to then be driven out by big bad lance armstrong is also kind of unrealistic...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭Kev M


    Kev M wrote: »
    Yes it does, or at the very least i believe it should now be accepted for what it was. That's the disagreement. Don't think it's really that 'stupid'.

    So you think that would send out a good message? It's basically something like this - "Ah sure there was so many at it. He was obviously best at EPO-aided cycling compared to the others who were also EPO-aided. It was what it was and he's still the champ (of EPO-aided cycling). Forget about the few fools who didn't want it enough to pump roids in to themselves or have blood transfusions, sure they were never going to get near him anyway."

    Yess! Exactly. :) Good message though? Probably not. But then again gatlin and blake medaled in the 100m and nobody batted an eyelid so who knows...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,969 ✭✭✭hardCopy


    Kev M wrote: »
    Kev M wrote: »
    Then there's the people who actually have a clue, and realise that LA competed on a level playing field where everyone used something...
    The guy has been a role model professional. He's done so much good in his life, it's saddening to see his name dragged through the mud like this when his only REAL crime is being the best...
    The fact that Armstrong was the best of the cheats does not mean that he deserves the titles.

    Yes it does, or at the very least i believe it should now be accepted for what it was. That's the disagreement. Don't think it's really that 'stupid'.

    He wasn't the best _of the cheats_, he was the best _at cheating_.

    He never was and never will be the best cyclist in the world, he just had access to more drugs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,455 ✭✭✭✭Monty Burnz


    Kev M wrote: »
    That's the reality of the top level, in a lot of sports.
    What is the reality?
    Kev M wrote: »
    And to be honest I would struggle to believe anyone in the tdf (especially in lance's prime) is clean, they just wouldn't keep up, in my opinion of course :) ..
    Which suggests that if there was a single clean athlete there he probably would have kicked everyone else's ass if it weren't for doping. But let's be sure the fastest doper keeps the title, huh?
    Kev M wrote: »
    And to suggest that a lifetime natural rider could get to tdf level without ever having to overcome juiced competition only to then be driven out by big bad lance armstrong is also kind of unrealistic...
    It's not unrealistic, it has happened loads of times - to two Irish riders I can think of alone. God knows how many riders from the other 99.8% of the world's population were driven out.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭Kev M


    hardCopy wrote: »
    Kev M wrote: »
    Kev M wrote: »
    Then there's the people who actually have a clue, and realise that LA competed on a level playing field where everyone used something...
    The guy has been a role model professional. He's done so much good in his life, it's saddening to see his name dragged through the mud like this when his only REAL crime is being the best...
    The fact that Armstrong was the best of the cheats does not mean that he deserves the titles.

    Yes it does, or at the very least i believe it should now be accepted for what it was. That's the disagreement. Don't think it's really that 'stupid'.

    He wasn't the best _of the cheats_, he was the best _at cheating_.

    He never was and never will be the best cyclist in the world, he just had access to more drugs.

    Really? What drugs specifically did he have that others didn't?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,455 ✭✭✭✭Monty Burnz


    Kev M wrote: »
    Really? What drugs specifically did he have that others didn't?
    When he comes out an admits it, we will know. Or perhaps the same drugs had the most marked effect on his body. Either way, he 'won' with drugs. Which is cheating. Which means he didn't win.

    Meanwhile, I notice you ignored my post.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭Kev M


    Kev M wrote: »
    That's the reality of the top level, in a lot of sports.
    What is the reality?
    Kev M wrote: »
    And to be honest I would struggle to believe anyone in the tdf (especially in lance's prime) is clean, they just wouldn't keep up, in my opinion of course :) ..
    Which suggests that if there was a single clean athlete there he probably would have kicked everyone else's ass if it weren't for doping. But let's be sure the fastest doper keeps the title, huh?
    Kev M wrote: »
    And to suggest that a lifetime natural rider could get to tdf level without ever having to overcome juiced competition only to then be driven out by big bad lance armstrong is also kind of unrealistic...
    It's not unrealistic, it has happened loads of times - to two Irish riders I can think of alone. God knows how many riders from the other 99.8% of the world's population were driven out.

    1. PEDs
    2. No it doesn't. The best guys would for the most part still be the best guys.
    3. Driven out by Lance in the tdf? Don't think so.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,455 ✭✭✭✭Monty Burnz


    Kev M wrote: »
    2. No it doesn't. The best guys would for the most part still be the best guys.
    What? :confused: The drug cheats would still be faster, you mean? That's kind of my point. The fastest honest athlete in history couldn't beat them - so in all likelihood there were some clean riders who finished in the bottom half of the field who were actually the fastest non-cheats in the race - ergo the winner.
    Kev M wrote: »
    3. Driven out by Lance in the tdf? Don't think so.
    You don't think the culture of doping, as perfected by Armstrong, drove honest riders out of the sport? Then you are lying to yourself or very naive. Or can't read. Try "Rough Ride", or ask Mark Scanlon.

    By the way, do you think that Ben Johnson was the real winner of the Olympic hundred metres in 1988?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭Kev M


    Kev M wrote: »
    2. No it doesn't. The best guys would for the most part still be the best guys.
    What? :confused: The drug cheats would still be faster, you mean? That's kind of my point. The fastest honest athlete in history couldn't beat them - so in all likelihood there were some clean riders who finished in the bottom half of the field who were actually the fastest non-cheats in the race - ergo the winner.
    Kev M wrote: »
    3. Driven out by Lance in the tdf? Don't think so.
    You don't think the culture of doping, as perfected by Armstrong, drove honest riders out of the sport? Then you are lying to yourself or very naive. Or can't read. Try "Rough Ride", or ask Mark Scanlon.

    By the way, do you think that Ben Johnson was the real winner of the Olympic hundred metres in 1988?

    With or without all the drugs in the world, i dont think a kimmage or scanlon are the same calibre athlete as LA. But hey, speculate all day.
    Perfecting drug culture? How exactly?
    I've already read that, thanks though.
    I think ben johnson was the one unfortunate enough to be caught. Also being canadian may not have helped at the time given the actions and decisions that followed.
    Do you know anything about drugs? And regarding sprinting how do you feel about blake and gatlins recent medals and performances in general? Should they even be allowed compete?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,455 ✭✭✭✭Monty Burnz


    Kev M wrote: »
    With or without all the drugs in the world, i dont think a kimmage or scanlon are the same calibre athlete as LA. But hey, speculate all day.
    Based on what, his TDF wins? Wasn't there something fishy about them...oh yes, all the blood doping he was doing. So based on something else?
    Kev M wrote: »
    Perfecting drug culture? How exactly?
    By winning a record series of TDF without getting caught until he was finished? By 'encouraging' his team mates to join in his doping? By making it impossible for non-cheats to compete?
    Kev M wrote: »
    I think ben johnson was the one unfortunate enough to be caught. Also being canadian may not have helped at the time given the actions and decisions that followed.
    Is that a yes or a no? :confused:
    Kev M wrote: »
    Do you know anything about drugs? And regarding sprinting how do you feel about blake and gatlins recent medals and performances in general? Should they even be allowed compete?
    Yes, I know something about drugs. Re. Blake and Gatlin, it may well later transpire that they are doping - at which point I will say strip them of their medals, and you will presumably say 'yerra let them keep them'. And what chance does an honest athlete have then?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,969 ✭✭✭hardCopy


    Kev M wrote: »
    hardCopy wrote: »
    Kev M wrote: »
    Kev M wrote: »
    Then there's the people who actually have a clue, and realise that LA competed on a level playing field where everyone used something...
    The guy has been a role model professional. He's done so much good in his life, it's saddening to see his name dragged through the mud like this when his only REAL crime is being the best...
    The fact that Armstrong was the best of the cheats does not mean that he deserves the titles.

    Yes it does, or at the very least i believe it should now be accepted for what it was. That's the disagreement. Don't think it's really that 'stupid'.

    He wasn't the best _of the cheats_, he was the best _at cheating_.

    He never was and never will be the best cyclist in the world, he just had access to more drugs.

    Really? What drugs specifically did he have that others didn't?

    USADA have described this as the most sophisticated doping ring every known. Nobody else could touch his levels of doping.

    Doping at those levels turns it from a race into a war of money.

    Not all dopers have access to the same drugs or doctors, nor they all see the same benefits.

    The attitude that all racers doping ensures a level playing field shows a complete lack of understanding of how the doping game works.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭Kev M


    Kev M wrote: »
    With or without all the drugs in the world, i dont think a kimmage or scanlon are the same calibre athlete as LA. But hey, speculate all day.
    Based on what, his TDF wins? Wasn't there something fishy about them...oh yes, all the blood doping he was doing. So based on something else?
    Kev M wrote: »
    Perfecting drug culture? How exactly?
    By winning a record series of TDF without getting caught until he was finished? By 'encouraging' his team mates to join in his doping? By making it impossible for non-cheats to compete?
    Kev M wrote: »
    I think ben johnson was the one unfortunate enough to be caught. Also being canadian may not have helped at the time given the actions and decisions that followed.
    Is that a yes or a no? :confused:
    Kev M wrote: »
    Do you know anything about drugs? And regarding sprinting how do you feel about blake and gatlins recent medals and performances in general? Should they even be allowed compete?
    Yes, I know something about drugs. Re. Blake and Gatlin, it may well later transpire that they are doping - at which point I will say strip them of their medals, and you will presumably say 'yerra let them keep them'. And what chance does an honest athlete have then?

    This will just keep going round in circles so i'll probably leave it with this post.
    I agree 100% with your morality on the matter and i wish cheating didn't exist. However it does, on a grand scale where far more get away with it than are caught. I just accept it and hate to see great athletes dragged through the mud over it, for doing whatever it takes to be competitive and win, whereas you and alot of people don't accept it. It's a loaded topic thats going nowhere soon.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,455 ✭✭✭✭Monty Burnz


    Kev M wrote: »
    This will just keep going round in circles so i'll probably leave it with this post.
    I agree 100% with your morality on the matter and i wish cheating didn't exist. However it does, on a grand scale where far more get away with it than are caught. I just accept it and hate to see great athletes dragged through the mud over it, for doing whatever it takes to be competitive and win, whereas you and alot of people don't accept it. It's a loaded topic thats going nowhere soon.
    Agreed - but to be consistent you need to either condemn all cheating or accept all cheating. I find it easier to do the former. The notion of any type of cheating being acceptable as long as you win is a bit repugnant to me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,863 ✭✭✭kevpants


    Jesus lads. I'm as big an admirer of Armstrong as there is but I never doubted he doped and knew eventually the chickens would come home to roost. Now they have so there's no point in spitting out the soother over it.

    I don't care that he's a d1ck, most elite individual athletes probably are fairly narcissistic. He's an outstanding physical specimen and to achieve what he achieved took some fairly unique characteristics and serious work. But he cheated.

    If cycling wants to get it's name out of the gutter they HAVE to come after Armstrong. They can't let the guy who won an unprecedented 7 tours slip by into the history books when they were so sure there was evidence there to be found.

    The non contest thing is a strategy from Armstrong. It means that despite all the evidence and stripping of the titles he can still claim there was never a fair trial. No mistake that trial would end one way and a lot of little yellow wristbands would end up in the bin but he can always claim he could have been aquitted.

    He'll paint this as witch hunt but remember the lack of due process is HIS doing here, he was offered his day on court and refused.

    I still think his books, his approach and his mental fortitude are admiral. I'm not surprised by any of this and it doesn't cange any of my views on elite sport and the athletes therein.

    I can see a day like this in the not too distant future for Bolt. If anyone has the nuts to take that bandwagon on.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,704 ✭✭✭squod


    kevpants wrote: »

    I can see a day like this in the not too distant future for Bolt. If anyone has the nuts to take that bandwagon on.

    They'll never take him alive.......


    characters_bolt.jpg


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭ppink


    what I just cannot understand is how come he was not caught:confused:. how can he win so much over so many years and the suspicion have been there but no actual proof........and by proof I mean a positive test resulting in a ban not witness accounts from others who have been caught.
    Also how did his teammates get caught and he didn't?:confused:

    Are they saying his samples were actually positive but he had bribed the UCI to make them negative?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,455 ✭✭✭✭Monty Burnz


    ppink wrote: »
    Are they saying his samples were actually positive but he had bribed the UCI to make them negative?
    The cheats have always been one step ahead of the testers. This is why Armstrong is opposed to having his old samples retested - he knows that they would be able to find traces of doping in them today. In addition, the few times he did actually get caught, the UCI were only too happy to accept back-dated medical prescriptions explaining away whatever they had found.

    By coincidence, as a very wealthy man, he was a big donor to the cash-strapped UCI - the body that was supposed to be regulating his sport.

    On a more amusing note:
    Lance Armstrong Lets Down Single Person Who Still Believed Him

    AUSTIN, TX—Following cyclist Lance Armstrong’s announcement last night that he was dropping his opposition to charges that he used performance-enhancing drugs, a sense of profound disappointment reportedly settled over the single individual left on Earth who still believed he was innocent.

    Gary Osgood, a 32-year-old sales account executive, and the only person in the world who did not react to the news that Armstrong would be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles with a shrug of his shoulders and a knowing nod, told reporters he was devastated by the story.

    Saying he felt “truly let down” by Armstrong, Osgood expressed a sense of anger and frustration that more than 300 million U.S. residents had already experienced and come to terms with at least three years ago.

    “I still can’t believe it,” said Osgood, displaying a profound bewilderment and shock that was felt by no one else in the world. “You really stand behind an athlete and then something like this happens. Honestly, I don’t even know what to say.”

    “How could he disappoint us like this?” added a visibly stunned Osgood, the only human being in existence who was not completely expecting this exact news item to come out at some point.

    Osgood—the lone individual who didn’t lose faith in the cyclist after numerous questionable blood tests and multiple claims by fellow cyclists that Armstrong was doping—reportedly experienced actual distress upon hearing the news, as well as a feeling of “sharp sadness” that was shared by an estimated 0 percent of his fellow Americans.

    Though reports indicate the rest of humanity has gone about its day as if nothing shocking or surprising had happened, Osgood said he remained motionless on his couch for nearly 20 minutes this morning as he processed the news. In addition, unlike everyone else who is even vaguely aware of Lance Armstrong, at no point did he sarcastically say to a coworker or friend, “Didn’t see that one coming.”


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,131 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    ppink wrote: »
    what I just cannot understand is how come he was not caught:confused:. how can he win so much over so many years and the suspicion have been there but no actual proof........and by proof I mean a positive test resulting in a ban not witness accounts from others who have been caught.
    Also how did his teammates get caught and he didn't?:confused:

    Are they saying his samples were actually positive but he had bribed the UCI to make them negative?

    Victor Conte said to fail a dope test is failing an IQ test. It's impossible to be caught unless you do something stupid


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,483 ✭✭✭✭daveirl


    This post has been deleted.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,483 ✭✭✭✭daveirl


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,820 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    I just saw this in today's Irish Times:

    Pat McQuaid say's UCI has nothing to apologize for, it is not responsible for the culture of doping in cycling when asked by David Millar if it should apologize for the doping scandal in cycling.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2012/0922/1224324288708.html


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,603 ✭✭✭Scuba Ste


    I thought I'd drag this back up from the depths as he's finally admitted it and the interview will be aired later this week.

    Apparently he's also going to testify against UCI officials that may have helped conceal drug use within cycling. Sh1tstorm to come me thinks.

    I couldn't care less about Armstrong at this point but I wonder will this have an effect on other sports and PED use within those.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Scuba Ste wrote: »
    I thought I'd drag this back up from the depths as he's finally admitted it and the interview will be aired later this week.

    Apparently he's also going to testify against UCI officials that may have helped conceal drug use within cycling. Sh1tstorm to come me thinks.

    I couldn't care less about Armstrong at this point but I wonder will this have an effect on other sports and PED use within those.

    This is all getting very interesting. Can't wait for it all to be over so someone can write a book on it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,454 ✭✭✭Clearlier


    Hanley wrote: »
    This is all getting very interesting. Can't wait for it all to be over so someone can write a book on it!

    Which bit? There are already quite a few books out there about doping in cycling. Tyler Hamilton has one which directly relates to this.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,603 ✭✭✭Scuba Ste


    Hanley wrote: »
    Can't wait for it all to be over so someone can write a book on it!

    'How I saved sport from itself by Lance Armstrong'.


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