Lance throws in the towel

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:17 am

Won't fight doping allegations, will likely lose all seven Tour victories:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/sport ... itles.html

TheTodd · Post by **TheTodd** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:18 am

I was just reading that and was coming to post it:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/23/sport/lan ... ?hpt=hp_t1

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 6:46 am

This is very unlike him. In the past, he's fought these types of allegations tooth-and-nail. He's gone so far as to sue publications in Europe for defamation (and won, albeit in the UK where it's a lot easier to win a defamation suit).

Makes me think he either doesn't care or there is some fire beyond all that smoke.

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 6:54 am

Interesting thought: does the ban apply only to competing as a pro? Or can he enter events as an amateur? I still want to seem race the Ironman in Kona, and it would be a hoot if he raced as an amateur and beat a bunch of pros.

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 6:59 am

Question: if his Tour wins are vacated, who do they go to? A LOT of the rest of the field have been caught doping (through positive drug tests). Here is a handy chart:

And that doesn't count the guys who are suspected of doping, but were never caught.

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:02 am

http://lancearmstrong.com/news-events/l ... st-23-2012

Lance Armstong's Statement of August 23, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas - August 23rd, 2012 - There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today – finished with this nonsense.
I had hoped that a federal court would stop USADA’s charade. Although the court was sympathetic to my concerns and recognized the many improprieties and deficiencies in USADA’s motives, its conduct, and its process, the court ultimately decided that it could not intervene.
If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA’s process, I could confront these allegations in a fair setting and – once and for all – put these charges to rest, I would jump at the chance. But I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair. Regardless of what Travis Tygart says, there is zero physical evidence to support his outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors. I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In-competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it?
From the beginning, however, this investigation has not been about learning the truth or cleaning up cycling, but about punishing me at all costs. I am a retired cyclist, yet USADA has lodged charges over 17 years old despite its own 8-year limitation. As respected organizations such as UCI and USA Cycling have made clear, USADA lacks jurisdiction even to bring these charges. The international bodies governing cycling have ordered USADA to stop, have given notice that no one should participate in USADA’s improper proceedings, and have made it clear the pronouncements by USADA that it has banned people for life or stripped them of their accomplishments are made without authority. And as many others, including USADA’s own arbitrators, have found, there is nothing even remotely fair about its process. USADA has broken the law, turned its back on its own rules, and stiff-armed those who have tried to persuade USADA to honor its obligations. At every turn, USADA has played the role of a bully, threatening everyone in its way and challenging the good faith of anyone who questions its motives or its methods, all at U.S. taxpayers’ expense. For the last two months, USADA has endlessly repeated the mantra that there should be a single set of rules, applicable to all, but they have arrogantly refused to practice what they preach. On top of all that, USADA has allegedly made deals with other riders that circumvent their own rules as long as they said I cheated. Many of those riders continue to race today.
The bottom line is I played by the rules that were put in place by the UCI, WADA and USADA when I raced. The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. It’s an unfair approach, applied selectively, in opposition to all the rules. It’s just not right.
USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles. I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours. We all raced together. For three weeks over the same roads, the same mountains, and against all the weather and elements that we had to confront. There were no shortcuts, there was no special treatment. The same courses, the same rules. The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change that. Especially not Travis Tygart.
Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors and the milestone of raising nearly $500 million. We have a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission. Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer, and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet.

TheTodd · Post by **TheTodd** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:03 am

How does that group (a US group) have the ability to take away Tour de France wins?

I think he is just tired of this crap from the USADA.

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:10 am

Interestingly, it's up to the international cycling body, UCI, to determine if Lance's Tour titles will be stripped (no matter what USADA says). Unfortunately, World Triathlon Corporation and USA Triathlon both have rules that they will follow the decisions of the USADA - so that means no more triathlons for Lance.

slideman67 · Post by **slideman67** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:13 pm

What a big fucking waste of time and money! Fuck Tygart!

G8RKyle · Post by **G8RKyle** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:30 pm

[quote=slideman67]What a big fucking waste of time and money! Fuck Tygart![/QUOTE]

Exactly!

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:52 pm

Not only that, but the pursuit of a lifetime ban and vacating ALL his victories is practically unheard-of, in any sport. Makes it seem like Lance is right about it being a witch-hunt.

Toothy · Post by **Toothy** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 6:53 pm

Lance throws in the towel.

Meanwhile, Doc tosses in the sock.

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:06 am

Hiyo!

DocZaius · Post by **DocZaius** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:08 am

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012 ... vis-tygart

Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, told USA Today in an interview that Lance Armstrong might have been able to keep most of his cycling titles if he had cooperated with the agency's investigation.

The USADA had charged that Armstrong used banned drugs and blood transfusions, and when Armstrong ended his attempt to fight the case last week, the USADA banned him from cycling competition for life and stripped him of all titles he won since 1998, which included all seven Tour de France titles.

Although the statute of limitation for such charges is eight years, it can be extended if a cover-up is involved, and the USADA alleged that Armstrong and others conspired to conceal the doping.

Tygart told USA Today in an article released Sunday that if Armstrong had "come in and been truthful, then the evidence might have been that the statute (of limitations) should apply."

Tygart said that "would have been fine by us."

Tygart acknowledged that would have meant that Armstrong could have kept five of his Tour de France titles.

Tygart said the sanctions would have been lighter if Armstrong had been truthful and had revealed what he knows about doping in cycling. In fact, Tygart said the punishment could still be reduced if Armstrong comes forward now.

Armstrong's attorneys claim the USADA does not have the right to sanction Armstrong. That responsibility belongs to the International Cycling Union (UCI), they claim.

So Tygart inflated the charges, knowing that the limitations period had passed? Seems like prosecutorial misconduct to me.

I've come around. I think that Lance probably did do some EPO and blood doping, and knew exactly where to draw the line so he wouldn't get caught. But on the other hand, I think the system set up by the USADA is ripe for abuse by an overzealous prosecutor like Tygart.

MinGator · Post by **MinGator** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 10:12 pm

Disappointing on so many levels on both sides.