True, and I'm not suggesting Chambers is an angel: it's been said that he still gets benefits from his drug taking in terms of his improved physique. Similar arguments could be made about any doper though: they all deprive other athletes of winnings, sponsorship etc. What their bans should be and whether they should be allowed back to the Olympics is a whole different debate and we'd probably be in agreement, but Chambers was caught and banned - Armstrong managed to evade all that through lies, intimidation and bribes - a lifetime ban now is meaningless.
Chambers shouldn't have been allowed to represent Britain, and nor should Christina Ohuruogu. She didn't actually get caught doping - she avoided that by missing three tests.
Unfortunatetly, the desire for medals outweighs the desire for clean sport among the selecters.
If he was looking for sympathy he miscalculated badly. Quite obviously LA isn't remorseful about what he did, he regards it as levelling the playing field! A cheat and a bully, what a sorry excuse for a human being.
If, as some have predicted, his Mea Culpa propels him to Governer of Texas then he'll join other respected holders of that office such as ...errrrmm... George W. Bush
No no no, this is all a calculated attempt to get back into being allowed to race again. I seriously hope he doesn't succeed. Obviously he or more likely his clever lawyers have discovered the clause that says if a drug cheat actively participates in providing assistance to the USADA any sentence that was previously pronounced may be reduced or rescinded. That's what he's trying to do. Don't let him back! Worse still from my point of view - don't allow him into triathlon at any price!
I've watched the interviews through twice... interesting. What strikes me is the lack of remorse. It looks liek he justifies himself by the ' just fighting back' answers, but it was a missed opportunity to come clean. If anything his attempts to skip around the big issues damns him further.
Good point about Vinokourov in the olympic roadrace tho'..
Doesn't matter what he says, none of us will believe him any more. Agree with Barkles, he didn't show remorse for what he did. And that's enough to damn him in my eyes.
Theres urely has to be a difference between someone pressurised into taking drugs ( not saying thats right) and someone who organises the whole shabang, using all manner of means to force others into complying.. where are talking about much more than a drugs cheat. We are talking about a calculating ring-leader.. far far worse.
Theres urely has to be a difference between someone pressurised into taking drugs ( not saying thats right) and someone who organises the whole shabang, using all manner of means to force others into complying.. where are talking about much more than a drugs cheat. We are talking about a calculating ring-leader.. far far worse.
Well yes and no. If other riders were pressurised into doping so was Lance Armstrong. They wanted to earn the most they could, he wanted to too, they wanted to win, he wanted to win. He just took it further - he was a better doper than most others. He's a driven character, I agree he's a sociopath/psychopath or whatevere the correct term is. Is it morally any worse to be better at doping than someone else - they are all dopers after all.
Yes some of them may have had to get on the programme or look for another career - but anyone that rode in the TdF for Lance Armstrong was good enough to get a well paid position at another team. The likes of Hincapie et al were extremely well paid star cyclists - if they didn't want to dope they didn't have to ride for USPostal/Discovery/Astana did they ?
Yes the guy is a bully - and what he has done to the likes of BetsyA, Simeoni, Landis, et al is disgraceful but it's debatable whether that is worth extra sporting suspension.
I could never understood why he was so liked anyway - it's not like any of this is news. Right from reading his first book he obviously had a steak cut chip on his shoulder, he's always obviously been a knob and I was saying on here at least 6-7 years ago that anyone that thinks he isn't doping doesn't follow the sport - but there you go. His determination remains admirable though.
I bet there's still people out there who wish that they were Lance Armstrong, even now!
Well he is still very wealthy and can still rip the legs of 99.9% of people on a bike - I'd take that - if I could get back with Sheryl Crow even better.
In the end he is a very wealthy man who can do as he pleases for the rest of his life (except competitive riding etc) and rest assured when the dust settles there will be film or book opportunities for him. So cheating is rewarded unfortunately, and it seems that when you get caught, although you lose sponsorship and respect, all they take off you realistically are the medals.
So (playing devils advocate) why would you be an also-ran average earner/competitor when you can cheat?
Comments
True, and I'm not suggesting Chambers is an angel: it's been said that he still gets benefits from his drug taking in terms of his improved physique. Similar arguments could be made about any doper though: they all deprive other athletes of winnings, sponsorship etc. What their bans should be and whether they should be allowed back to the Olympics is a whole different debate and we'd probably be in agreement, but Chambers was caught and banned - Armstrong managed to evade all that through lies, intimidation and bribes - a lifetime ban now is meaningless.
Chambers shouldn't have been allowed to represent Britain, and nor should Christina Ohuruogu. She didn't actually get caught doping - she avoided that by missing three tests.
Unfortunatetly, the desire for medals outweighs the desire for clean sport among the selecters.
thanks for the clarification,
Lance Armstrong Bingo
(If any of you get Discovery and can be arsed getting up at 2am)
sky+, im gonna watch it tomorrow morning whilst im on the turbo trainer
definitely a psychopath
Nah!
Hitchcock made a feature film about a psychopath.
Can't see anyone doing one about an arsehole.
🙂
his answers sounded scripted and censored, i dont think he came over very well at all.
Lance is a sociopath not a psychopath.
If he was looking for sympathy he miscalculated badly. Quite obviously LA isn't remorseful about what he did, he regards it as levelling the playing field! A cheat and a bully, what a sorry excuse for a human being.
...yet...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=GNNFGTVbMnM#t=125s
(useless poxy runners world website wont accept the youtube player grrrrr!)
If, as some have predicted, his Mea Culpa propels him to Governer of Texas then he'll join other respected holders of that office such as ...errrrmm... George W. Bush
No no no, this is all a calculated attempt to get back into being allowed to race again. I seriously hope he doesn't succeed. Obviously he or more likely his clever lawyers have discovered the clause that says if a drug cheat actively participates in providing assistance to the USADA any sentence that was previously pronounced may be reduced or rescinded. That's what he's trying to do. Don't let him back! Worse still from my point of view - don't allow him into triathlon at any price!
I've watched the interviews through twice... interesting. What strikes me is the lack of remorse. It looks liek he justifies himself by the ' just fighting back' answers, but it was a missed opportunity to come clean. If anything his attempts to skip around the big issues damns him further.
Good point about Vinokourov in the olympic roadrace tho'..
Still lying about 2009 / 10 though. Claims not to have cheated then, but his biological passport says differently.
I dislike Lance and what he has done but surely any penalty he receeves must be consistent with other drugs cheats.
Agreed, LouiseG, I simply don't believe him.
Other drug cheats didnt bully, or have other riders thrown off the team, or try and pay off the UCI, or sue people who were telling the truth
Doesn't matter what he says, none of us will believe him any more. Agree with Barkles, he didn't show remorse for what he did. And that's enough to damn him in my eyes.
Theres urely has to be a difference between someone pressurised into taking drugs ( not saying thats right) and someone who organises the whole shabang, using all manner of means to force others into complying.. where are talking about much more than a drugs cheat. We are talking about a calculating ring-leader.. far far worse.
Ok so you are proposing to judge him on a new set of rules.
Personally I would ban him for life but then again I would ban David Millar for life.
Well yes and no. If other riders were pressurised into doping so was Lance Armstrong. They wanted to earn the most they could, he wanted to too, they wanted to win, he wanted to win. He just took it further - he was a better doper than most others. He's a driven character, I agree he's a sociopath/psychopath or whatevere the correct term is. Is it morally any worse to be better at doping than someone else - they are all dopers after all.
Yes some of them may have had to get on the programme or look for another career - but anyone that rode in the TdF for Lance Armstrong was good enough to get a well paid position at another team. The likes of Hincapie et al were extremely well paid star cyclists - if they didn't want to dope they didn't have to ride for USPostal/Discovery/Astana did they ?
Yes the guy is a bully - and what he has done to the likes of BetsyA, Simeoni, Landis, et al is disgraceful but it's debatable whether that is worth extra sporting suspension.
I could never understood why he was so liked anyway - it's not like any of this is news. Right from reading his first book he obviously had a steak cut chip on his shoulder, he's always obviously been a knob and I was saying on here at least 6-7 years ago that anyone that thinks he isn't doping doesn't follow the sport - but there you go. His determination remains admirable though.
I bet there's still people out there who wish that they were Lance Armstrong, even now!
🙂
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21115720
LOL Carter.
Well he is still very wealthy and can still rip the legs of 99.9% of people on a bike - I'd take that - if I could get back with Sheryl Crow even better.
In the end he is a very wealthy man who can do as he pleases for the rest of his life (except competitive riding etc) and rest assured when the dust settles there will be film or book opportunities for him. So cheating is rewarded unfortunately, and it seems that when you get caught, although you lose sponsorship and respect, all they take off you realistically are the medals.
So (playing devils advocate) why would you be an also-ran average earner/competitor when you can cheat?