The controversies around Lance Armstrong

This article covers the recent controversies of Lance Armstrong in a nutshell as well as the prospective outcomes if he is found guilty of drugs use during his 7 Tour de France wins.

Where did it all start?

Lance Armstrong is possibly one of the most controversially viewed people ever to have taken to the hallowed roads of professional cycling. Many would have put him among the kings of cycling after his 7^th Tour de France win during 2005, but the recent developments from previous friends and fellow team mates could possibly bring Armstrong’s legacy to a crashing stop.

Question’s upon Armstrong’s credibility have been there for many years now, with the first attempted attack coming from French sports newspaper L’Equipe, who during 2005 reported an Armstrong urine sample from 1999 to have tested positive for the blood booster EPO. The validity of the rumour was never clear as the UCI stated that they had had no evidence of doping by Armstrong.

As Armstrong retired from professional cycling after the 2005 season to concentrate on developing the LIVESTRONG Cancer Foundation, further stories of Armstrong’s superhuman ability seemed to subside and soon became the stuff of legends. Then, in 2008, and with the LIVESTRONG Foundation in mind, Armstrong announced his return to professional cycling in an attempt to further grow the awareness of problems many faced with cancer on his way. Armstrong had initially only decided to compete during the 2009 season when he would finally retire completely from the world of professional road cycling. However, with a 3^rd place upon his return during the Tour de France and an ever growing disliking for his then Astana team mate Alberto Contador, Armstrong vowed to compete in the 2010 Tour de France in an attempt to win his 8^th Tour de France, and on his way beating the seemlingly unbeatable Contador.

Armstrong’s “farewell” season of 2010 was set to be picture perfect, with the expectation of a monumental battle of the titans with Contador during the Tour de France set for July everything seemed to be on course and moving along in style with Armstrong bringing in immense crowns to any pro-calendar race he turned up to. Then, during the 5^th stage at the Tour of California, former team mate and friend Lloyd Landis finally admitted the truth of the positive drugs test during the 2006 Tour de France. While admitting that he did in fact dope to the world’s media after spending multiple millions of dollars trying to clear his name, Landis made the first ever drugs accusation by a professional cyclist towards Armstrong, sparking the fires of the Armstrong witch hunt once again. With the Landis confession came fresh accusations that the cycling governing body UCI, had suppressed a fail drugs test during the early 2000’s. The metaphorical ball started to gaining pace when it came out that Armstrong had made two donations to the UCI totalling to $125,000 around the time of the claimed positive test. The UCI strongly deny that Armstrong’s donations were not bribes.

Tyler Hamilton- At the centre of the latest accusations

The recent clean streak from Tyler Hamilton as a result of appearing in court and the CBS programme “60 Minutes” has fuelled even further the original claims made by Landis in 2010. Throughout the programme Hamilton, who was forced into retirement recently due to an 8 year drugs ban being enforced during 2009, stated regular accounts of times when he saw, shared and was given drugs by Lance Armstrong. Hamilton also stated that he had been told Armstrong had failed a drugs test during the 2001 tour of Switzerland, commenting on the way Armstrong seem to shrug off the facts of the failed drugs test and made some humour out of the situation. These are damming claims made by Hamilton and not to be taken lightly as it has been documented that Hamilton has in fact recited all of the accusation he made during the “60 Minutes” programme in front of a judge, which means if he is lying he will face a prison sentence.

Are the Claims creditable?

Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton are both going all out to make sure they aren’t the only ones with a ruined cycling career. Both riders defended themselves to all levels, Hamilton’s story for testing positive to blood doping in 2004 was so off the wall there was even thoughts that he was mentally ill, as he suggested that he had absorbed an unborn twin while in his mother’s womb which was his reasoning behind his fluctuating red blood cell levels between races. After Landis tested positive for doping after the 2006 Tour de France he went to every length to clear his name, writing a book, collecting donations to fund his legal case and making numerous claims of conspiracy against him.

Both have lied in the past and there is talks about Hamilton’s “60 Minutes” programme being completed as a publicity stunt for a book he willing be writing in the not too distant future. Also, why didn’t either of them come clean sooner, straight after the 7^th Tour de France win by Armstrong would have been justified if they really feel there is a need to clean up the sport they love? 

What could happen?

The federal case which is being brought again Armstrong as a result of previous and current accusations of drug use by the professional cycling team US Postal Service during their sponsorship between the 2001 and 2004 seasons when $32 million worth of government funding was instilled into the team. If Armstrong and other members of the US Postal team plead not guilty and are in fact proven to be guilty then they could face a prison sentence as well as be forced to pay compensation back to the US government. Another part of Armstrong’s legacy through the LIVESTRONG Foundation Nike brand, which is worth around $75 million in sales per year could be ruined also, which is not worth thinking about as it could ruin people’s lives if that was the case. The UCI could also face action against them if it is found that they did hold back a positive test of Armstrong’s in 2001, plus with many claims of bribery between other sport’s governing bodies in Switzerland, the Swiss government are showing signs of throwing them out as a result of giving the country which homes these governing bodies a bad name.

Armstrong battling against rival Ullrich. Tour de France

There will be no final verdict for the foreseeable future on the Armstrong case, but Armstrong’s facts are there to be seen by all. Not one failed drugs test that has been confirmed by any sport’s governing body and with around 500 drugs tests completed over his career Lance Armstrong is known as the most tested athlete in sports long history.