howsteepisit

I have two problems with the zealous prosecution of anti-doping efforts in sport. Firstly, one is the "purity of sport" argument. Professional sport is all about money, and advertising. There is little of the aspect of pure sport left, at least at the professional level. That's why there is such allowance for the attitude of 'doing what is needed to win". The rule is win at all costs, risk up to an including death to win and be at the front to better represent the sponsors. Recall one of the British Track riders deliberately crashed in a race to cause a restart wwhen he could not win a heat. No, sportsmanship does not exist at the professional levels of sport.

Secondly the claim is made that not allowing drug use somehow levels the playing field. Isn't the nature of sports competions to have unlevel playing field? Someone who is better wins, either mentally or physically stronger, someone wins the rest lose. Competition by definition seeks to find the result of an unlevel playing field. Shall we ban vitamins, how about sports psychiatry? They make un unlevel playing field. Some guys get better/lighter bikes Shouldn't all equipment be exactly the same? So on and so on.

One final thought, I am not in favor of children being drugged. I figure that by the time a contestant is an adult, they should be responsible for making their own decisions on what risks, in and out of competition they are willing to take. ONe solution to the drug problem might be to have a bunch of cyclist drop dead in massively detailed deaths due to drugs, so other riders and youth can know the true risks. I base this on the memory back in the 60's and 70's "reefer madness" programs to discourage recreational drug use. The population knew it was gross exaggeration so the risk was mitigated in peoples minds. With true and accurate information, the athlete will mis-estimate the risk, and will perceive an exaggerated pay-off to the use of drugging. Change that or the culture will not change

CraigB

I disagree. Competition by definition seeks nothing more than to find a winner, regardless of the condition of the playing field.

Fair play, OTOH, seeks a level playing field on which the competition takes place. Don't confuse the playing field with the competitors.

BluesDawg

My read is that he's negotiating a deal so he can come clean and salvage what he can for Livestrong and a chance to compete in the future. Whatever deal he works out, I'm betting Johan Brunheel is not going to be a fan of it.

Mort Canard

There is something to be gained from historians having a more accurate and honest account of his cycling career than he and his accusers have provided thus far. I don't know that a belated confession will ever make Lance a more admirable character since it has taken so much get him to tell the truth. I am sure that being able to compete in Triathlons and other cycling events will probably have somewhat of a rehabilitating effect on his reputation. Certainly the stint Mark McGwire has put in for the St Louis Cardinals as batting coach has helped his reputation after the steroids scandal in baseball.

Mobile 155

By the time we have the next olympics doping will be old news. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-stronger.html

They talked about his some time ago in Bicycling nd because many of the doping methods used today were developed for medical uses I am sure they will be used for the "new" genetic athletes. We will be back to talk about this again I am sure. As long as there is big money to be made people and sponsors will find a way to win that money.

oldbobcat

Read the USADA report and the books by Walsh and Hamilton.

Artkansas 

It's the only way he can put it behind him.

I can't help but thinking that being on the cover of MAD helped push him, it was pretty graphic. Talk about becoming a laughingstock.

oldbobcat

I think you've pretty much hit it on the head.

Lance will confess to no more than he absolutely has to. Anyone hoping for "the inside story" will be disappointed.

TiHabanero

Circumstantial evidence convicts. He doped. No question those who ran with the leaders all doped. Now, if dope had not been banned, then they would all be legit.

bruce19

Apparently he wasn't one step ahead of the rule book but one step ahead of the detection methods. They did strip him of his titles and ban him from competition so he must have violated the existing rules.

bruce19

As I understand it, if Lance "comes clean" he will admit to lying under oath vis a vis his sworn statements. He could be facing jail time.

Garfield Cat

I would think he has attorneys, publicists, and other financial advisors. This latest "come clean" announcement might just be to "test the waters". What he discloses is different than what he actually admits. There will be some spin.

Jimbo47

Just another way to make a book deal!

zonatandem

I really don't care . . .

BlazingPedals

I thought he might be ready to stop using PEDs.

con

The only thing we know for sure is that Lance will do what is best for Lance.

BluesDawg

As will all the rest of us.

cplager

There's a lot of evidence that suggests this isn't as true as we would like. Lots of people do things that really aren't in their best self interest.

david58

[sigh] Does it matter anymore?

We'll get to see what the point of all this was...just watch the news about the baseball Hall of Fame, and see if Bonds and Sosa et al are inducted.

Garfield Cat

This is from yesterday's radio broadcast

https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...m-a-confession

BluesDawg

True. But we act according to what we think, or have been convinced, is in our own self interest.

con

Nope. I would have to say that I make many decisions based on what is best for the folks around me that I love, and even based on what is "right". I don't think that is the style of the guy with the 7 yellows.

look566 rider

I'm just incredibly tired of hearing about this.

I will be more interested and surprised when they claim such and such champion is accused of riding clean!

Wogster

I wonder if a lot of this isn't because people, outside of the cycling world, are starting to forget about Lance, so this is all about getting Lance back into the public eye. It's a little like some actors, they are in the news, not because of how good they are, but what they are injesting and who they are shagging at the moment, and when they stop being on the cover of all the supermarket rags, they do something outrageous to get themselves back in the public eye.

BluesDawg

In which case, these are your interests and you act according to them.
I'm not defending LA. Just saying that merely acting in his own interest is not a condemnation. Acting in one's own interest without regard for the interests of others is a different matter.