Lance Armstrong to be charged for doping by USADA

Former cyclist Lance Armstrong to be formally charged with doping - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/olympics/cycling/story/_/id/8048718/former-cyclist-lance-armstrong-formally-charged-doping)


It was only a matter of time before the sand ran out of Lance Armstrong's hourglass. I've always believed he was doping, but I thought that of most of the racers.I will give Lance Armstrong some credit thought, the guy was the best out of the best among a group of dopers. He just happened to have more money and better access to blood transfusions/dope than most of the riders.

It would be nice to have Lance just come clean, but I imagine he'll go the way of Roger Clemens in that he'll take it to his grave denying using.

if he comes clean he's guaranteed to lose his medals or whatnot.

I don't follow cycling too closely, so i don't know how true or how much of a given it is that he/others dope, but i wish/hope it isn't true. bad ending and all.

Spoiler alert...they ALL doped. It was the way of the land at that point. Probably still is. He still won 7 times in a row over all the other dopers.

I tend to believe many people who could have done something looked away because it was such an inspiring story to see this cancer survivor repeatedly win such a grueling competition, doping or not. And I also tend to believe maybe they should have continued to do so.

I pretty much believe doping was widespread in the sport at the time, and I wouldn't be suprised if Lance Armstrong was doing it, but I don't think this is necessary. The damage has already been done in the court of public opinion. If it's true it's a shame how far he's fallen.

Meh, I think there are plenty of people that don't care at this point. Armstrong is such a beloved athlete for what he overcame, not even something like this will tarnish him much.

I agree. He's been out of competition at high level for years now and it's just not on peoples radar for the most part. They've accepted him and defined him as a champion in their own way.

Unlike the steroid scandals that rocked baseball and it's icons, most people that adore Lance Armstrong aren't cycling enthusiasts or could care less about the sport. So in this instance I think people have separate opinions of the person and the sport.

Armstrong retired last year. I'm not convinced he was doping, would like to believe his statements like in that link:

"These are the very same charges and the same witnesses that the Justice Department chose not to pursue after a two-year investigation," he said in a statement released on his website. "These charges are baseless, motivated by spite and advanced through testimony bought and paid for by promises of anonymity and immunity. ... USADA's malice, its methods, its star-chamber practices, and its decision to punish first and adjudicate later all are at odds with our ideals of fairness and fair play.

"I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one. That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence. Any fair consideration of these allegations has and will continue to vindicate me."

Only time I cared about cycling is when armstrong was in the tour de france.

It seems to me that he has been consistently targeted for doping allegations and nothing is ever proven.

Not sure why it would be so ... but it seems the cycling community has it out for him. Is there something I am missing?

i think the french got mad at him and started the rumors... i think. I don't really follow that whole cycling thing besides knowing he's won a LOT.