I note with disgust that Lance Armstrong still regards himself as more sinned against than sinning, and is whining about being a scapegoat for a corrupt sport.
Bullshit.
Lance Armstrong is a first-class, dyed-in-the-wool liar. He:
- Denied adamantly for years that he was cheating;
- Accepted trophies and prizes and sponsorships that required him to certify, attest and maintain that he wasn't cheating, so he was lying all along;
- Sued (and won damages from) others who alleged he was cheating.
Now that he's been unmasked for what he is, this entitles him to sympathy . . . how?
He should be banned, not only from the sporting world (and any and all sports, at that, not just cycling), but from polite society as a whole. Shunning is an ancient practice, but I'm a traditionalist. I'd like to see it revived, just for his benefit!
Peter
Professional competitive cycling has an ignoble history regarding doping, which has been overlooked, excused, or selectively attacked for a long time.(Look up Jacques Anquetil.) Armstrong deserves what he gets for his flamboyant self-righteousness, and he was pitifully foolish to think that he could build something good, as I think he meant his LiveStrong foundation to be, on a foundation of dishonesty. He is only one, though, in a LONG line. Pro cycling authorities cannot load all the sins of their sport on him. When you hold a sporting event, you attract competitors. When you call it a "championship" and offer money and publicity to the winner, you attract people who are so competitive that they will "game the system". Tone down the money and publicity, or admit that the winners are probably taking unhealthy chances other than the risk of a bike crash. Armstrong is out, but the sport is not thereby cleansed.
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