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Lance Armstrong: must come clean if he is to move on. Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press/Press Association Images
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Lance Armstrong case: Anticipation builds for former Tour great's speech
His speech tomorrow will be witnessed by a nominally friendly crowd of Livestrong backers, with organisers releasing a video recording afterwards on YouTube — so there will be no tough questions about his fall from grace.
DISGRACED CYCLING ICON Lance Armstrong, unable to lead his cancer-fighting foundation’s efforts or compete in world-class sports, could provide the first glimpse of his future tomorrow.
Armstrong will speak to supporters of his Livestrong anti-cancer charity at a 15th anniversary fundraiser in his hometown of Austin, Texas, in his first public comments since his dramatic downfall in an epic doping scandal.
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Key sponsors Nike, Trek bicycles and brewers Anheuser-Busch cut ties with Armstrong today, a week after the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) revealed 1,000 pages of evidence supporting why it gave him a life ban from competition and stripped him of seven Tour de France victories.
Engulfed by scandal and not wanting to taint the charity he worked so hard to set up and promote after winning his famous battle with testicular cancer, Armstrong stepped down yesterday as Livestrong’s chairman.
His speech tomorrow will be witnessed by a nominally friendly crowd of Livestrong backers, with organisers releasing a video recording afterwards on YouTube — so there will be no tough questions about his fall from grace.
David Carter, a sports business professor at the University of Southern California and executive director of USC’s Sports Business Institute, said any Armstrong journey to reclaim public respectability must include a confession.
“The only way they come back is when they take personal responsibility and accountability for what they’ve done,” Carter said. “He has not taken responsibility.”
That sets the stage for what could be an emotional moment of truth for Armstrong. If not, there may be are hints about where the once-revered cycling legend goes from here.
@John Yeah I see what you’re saying. The problem is of course that if he admits it, he is basically handing the doctor and the others involved over too. It will be a very interesting speech whatever happens.
Not gonna happen. That would leave him wide open to Perjury charges. He testified, under oath in 2005 declaring he had never used PEDs.
There’s no statute of limitations in Texas for perjury so it’s likely he’ll continue with his story for the rest of his days.
The doctors are in the same boat as him I’d imagine. If the rest of the cyclists have stopped lying for him I’d say they’ve come clean on everything. A lot of the doctors are already banned anyway.
dont forget, he was cycling for the US Postal team for a number of years. A state sponsored outfit I imagine? Imagine if An Post sponsored an Irish drug cheat. There would be uproar.
They’re not illegal drugs, they’re illegal in sport as they give you an unfair advantage.
Personally, I don’t care what drugs he’s supposed to have taken, I say supposed (he’s never tested positive). The man is still a legend.
@David – They are prescription drugs. It is illegal to import or distribute prescription drugs without a licence.
As for the rest of your post, read USADA’s report. Armstrong has tested positive, as well as using a variety of tactics to avoid a positive test, and there is strong evidence that he paid for at least one positive test to be buried. You are entitled to your view that cheating is ok, daft as it is.
Where did I say cheating was ok?! He’s a legend of a man. Look at his charity work. It’s not all about sport!
Also, do honestly think he carried the drugs himself? Or handed them out?! The USADA basically bribed other cheats to testify against Armstrong! Pure witch hunt if you ask me
Deluded?! So what if he cheated?! Everyone cheated in that era, he was still the best! And, again, I feel his work outside sport outweighs anything he did or didn’t do in sport. Priorities.
David, David, David…. you cant seriously believe your own bull… can you?? although I agree his charity work has some credibility, Livestrong themselves as an organisation want to distance themselves from him. What does that tell you. And he did carry plenty drugs himself, and keep EPO in his fridge next to the butter according to Tyler Hamilton. Cycling may be riddled with drugs, and was so before LA came along, but taking out small fish will not solve the problem. you need to land the big one to really give a message to others. I never thought I would see the day that he would be exposed as it would cost cycling as a sport too much for its cancer surviving poster boy to be outed as a cheat. The story was gold for the sport that couldnt afford more scandal after the late 90′s (Ulrich, Riis, Pantani etc). But now it has happened. Maybe cycling will never be clean, but there is no excuse for cheating. Full stop.
Armstrong and his cronies made shedloads of cash from livestrong. livestrongs sponsors and partners made shedloads of cash from being associated with livestrong. livestrong spent shedloads of cash on promoting livestrong.
How much did livestrong spend on cancer research?
Sod all.
Livestrong is little more than a massive brand, a concocted shield.
So before you say the words “what he did for charity” again, do some research.
If he denies that he ever cheated at this event it may go down as the funniest speech ever given. If he admits to it he will probably get booed off the stage. Either I can’t wait to see it.
Why? Because I value his work for charity higher on my moral compass than cheating to win a race? Sport is secondary in the achievements of Lance Armstrong.
Bullshit, while you can’t take away the work he has done for charity, he has made an absolute fortune for himself in the process. He also went out of his way to damage or ruin the careers of anybody that tried to out him as a drug cheat ie Paul Kimmage, purely for his own self benefit… Actions of a legend?
David I think it’s safe to say you know yourself that he cheated, you seem to have accepted that in some of your comments earlier on.
Your now dodging the question with a one word reply.
So ‘if’ he cheated, and the world has accepted it so you might as well, do you think his charity work out weights some journalists career and hence his lively hood to support his family?
I don’t know for definite he cheated, nobody does, except Lance Armstrong himself. The evidence used can hardly be taken as gospel given the sources are cheats themselves. As for Mr. Kimmage, I do feel for him, but if, and it is a big if, Armstrong is innocent, the articles in question are slanderous. But half a billion in charity fundraising says a lot more about the man in my eyes than a few performance enhancing drugs. You question his fame and fortune but that fame and fortune has been used to a far greater good than most people’s.
It’s only the USADA that have brought anything forward. The international cycling federation gave yet to make their statement. So excuse me for waiting until the higher authorities have their say. As for livestrong, did you see the interview with the CEO on sky this morning? Lance himself asked to step down.
David, I acknowledged his charity work in my first post, this can’t be taken away from him. But I can’t hold him up as a legend or and icon if even half the stories told about him are true. And it gauls me to think he had the arrogance to risk the livelihoods of people in the following cover up, with the sole purpose of self preservation, it is the act of a very selfish and calculated man.
Armstrong stepping down as chairman can be seen in two ways, depending on your point of view. You have your view based on your opinion of the man. My view is that he is trying to save the Livestrong brand, for when one of these days he will have to come out and admit his guilt
@David, I don’t blame you for trying to separate the man from his actions, you cant argue that 500 million for any charity will do good work. But do you think that the livestrong charity would be what it is today if he was found to have cheated before he won a Tour de France. All of it was built on a lie. I have to agree with you though, as a drugs cheat, his reputation will live throughout the ages… so yes, you could say he is a legend!
While I don’t condone for a minute what he’s done but if the rumours are true that drug taking in professional cycling is rife and most are taking drugs….who’s cheating?
i would say a lot of cyclists are doing it these days and hide it well.armstrong was caught and all his team said he cheated.did they all take the drugs? if so why are they not checked.if he tells the truth he might as well drop them all into the pot.
I cannot believe that Pharmatrong still has defenders. The speech will likely be an aggressive non denial, that is, an apparent denial calibrated to avoid perjuring himself.
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Given his history, I would be very suprised if he admits to anything tomorrow.
I dunno. He’s still young, so I doubt he wants to live for another few decades with the world thinking he’s such a cheat/bully.
Coming clean might offer some sort of redemption.
@John Yeah I see what you’re saying. The problem is of course that if he admits it, he is basically handing the doctor and the others involved over too. It will be a very interesting speech whatever happens.
Not gonna happen. That would leave him wide open to Perjury charges. He testified, under oath in 2005 declaring he had never used PEDs.
There’s no statute of limitations in Texas for perjury so it’s likely he’ll continue with his story for the rest of his days.
The doctors are in the same boat as him I’d imagine. If the rest of the cyclists have stopped lying for him I’d say they’ve come clean on everything. A lot of the doctors are already banned anyway.
He’ll make a complete testicle of himself if he does!
dont forget, he was cycling for the US Postal team for a number of years. A state sponsored outfit I imagine? Imagine if An Post sponsored an Irish drug cheat. There would be uproar.
Just to clarify my last point. US Postal Service may want to take action against Lance for improper use of tax payers money.
HMMM lets get this right he smuggled banned drugs into other countries that’s illegal right? Shouldn’t he be charged for drug smuggling also!
They’re not illegal drugs, they’re illegal in sport as they give you an unfair advantage.
Personally, I don’t care what drugs he’s supposed to have taken, I say supposed (he’s never tested positive). The man is still a legend.
@David – They are prescription drugs. It is illegal to import or distribute prescription drugs without a licence.
As for the rest of your post, read USADA’s report. Armstrong has tested positive, as well as using a variety of tactics to avoid a positive test, and there is strong evidence that he paid for at least one positive test to be buried. You are entitled to your view that cheating is ok, daft as it is.
Where did I say cheating was ok?! He’s a legend of a man. Look at his charity work. It’s not all about sport!
Also, do honestly think he carried the drugs himself? Or handed them out?! The USADA basically bribed other cheats to testify against Armstrong! Pure witch hunt if you ask me
Poor deluded David!
Deluded?! So what if he cheated?! Everyone cheated in that era, he was still the best! And, again, I feel his work outside sport outweighs anything he did or didn’t do in sport. Priorities.
David, David, David…. you cant seriously believe your own bull… can you?? although I agree his charity work has some credibility, Livestrong themselves as an organisation want to distance themselves from him. What does that tell you. And he did carry plenty drugs himself, and keep EPO in his fridge next to the butter according to Tyler Hamilton. Cycling may be riddled with drugs, and was so before LA came along, but taking out small fish will not solve the problem. you need to land the big one to really give a message to others. I never thought I would see the day that he would be exposed as it would cost cycling as a sport too much for its cancer surviving poster boy to be outed as a cheat. The story was gold for the sport that couldnt afford more scandal after the late 90′s (Ulrich, Riis, Pantani etc). But now it has happened. Maybe cycling will never be clean, but there is no excuse for cheating. Full stop.
Armstrong and his cronies made shedloads of cash from livestrong. livestrongs sponsors and partners made shedloads of cash from being associated with livestrong. livestrong spent shedloads of cash on promoting livestrong.
How much did livestrong spend on cancer research?
Sod all.
Livestrong is little more than a massive brand, a concocted shield.
So before you say the words “what he did for charity” again, do some research.
If he denies that he ever cheated at this event it may go down as the funniest speech ever given. If he admits to it he will probably get booed off the stage. Either I can’t wait to see it.
Never tested positive. Anyway he’s a legend regardless if he cheated or not
That’s a screwed up moral compass you got there pal.
Why? Because I value his work for charity higher on my moral compass than cheating to win a race? Sport is secondary in the achievements of Lance Armstrong.
Bullshit, while you can’t take away the work he has done for charity, he has made an absolute fortune for himself in the process. He also went out of his way to damage or ruin the careers of anybody that tried to out him as a drug cheat ie Paul Kimmage, purely for his own self benefit… Actions of a legend?
Allegedly.
David I think it’s safe to say you know yourself that he cheated, you seem to have accepted that in some of your comments earlier on.
Your now dodging the question with a one word reply.
So ‘if’ he cheated, and the world has accepted it so you might as well, do you think his charity work out weights some journalists career and hence his lively hood to support his family?
I don’t know for definite he cheated, nobody does, except Lance Armstrong himself. The evidence used can hardly be taken as gospel given the sources are cheats themselves. As for Mr. Kimmage, I do feel for him, but if, and it is a big if, Armstrong is innocent, the articles in question are slanderous. But half a billion in charity fundraising says a lot more about the man in my eyes than a few performance enhancing drugs. You question his fame and fortune but that fame and fortune has been used to a far greater good than most people’s.
David, even my 74 year old mother knows he cheated. Methinks you are trolling a bit here
It’s only the USADA that have brought anything forward. The international cycling federation gave yet to make their statement. So excuse me for waiting until the higher authorities have their say. As for livestrong, did you see the interview with the CEO on sky this morning? Lance himself asked to step down.
David, I acknowledged his charity work in my first post, this can’t be taken away from him. But I can’t hold him up as a legend or and icon if even half the stories told about him are true. And it gauls me to think he had the arrogance to risk the livelihoods of people in the following cover up, with the sole purpose of self preservation, it is the act of a very selfish and calculated man.
Armstrong stepping down as chairman can be seen in two ways, depending on your point of view. You have your view based on your opinion of the man. My view is that he is trying to save the Livestrong brand, for when one of these days he will have to come out and admit his guilt
@David, I don’t blame you for trying to separate the man from his actions, you cant argue that 500 million for any charity will do good work. But do you think that the livestrong charity would be what it is today if he was found to have cheated before he won a Tour de France. All of it was built on a lie. I have to agree with you though, as a drugs cheat, his reputation will live throughout the ages… so yes, you could say he is a legend!
While I don’t condone for a minute what he’s done but if the rumours are true that drug taking in professional cycling is rife and most are taking drugs….who’s cheating?
Plus 1. He was still the best man in the field.
who cares he cheated got caught but will never confess. complete loser.
Fifthy Shades of Cheating….
Time for him to take his medicine.
i would say a lot of cyclists are doing it these days and hide it well.armstrong was caught and all his team said he cheated.did they all take the drugs? if so why are they not checked.if he tells the truth he might as well drop them all into the pot.
I could be wrong on this but all the other cyclists that gave evidence against him have admitted drug cheating anyway
Pharmstrong’s defenders are delusional. Watch for his careful and bullish non denial, which will seem like a denial.
I cannot believe that Pharmatrong still has defenders. The speech will likely be an aggressive non denial, that is, an apparent denial calibrated to avoid perjuring himself.
I can’t wait!!!! this will be good, I hope