Lance Armstrong

[Guest hitoallusa]

It hurts me that he didn't go for arbitration. I do want to believe that he is innocent. A lot of things don't make sense for now...

[Guest EXPAT]

Not only that, I'm surprised that the USADA would automatically place him guilty without any "trial" of any kind. What a sad set of events.

The only positive thing here is that his foundation earned 25x the normal amount this week as a result of sympathy donations. That is his passion now anyway.

[MsGuy]

Hito, performance data for the Tour de France conclusively demonstrate that virtually all the top cyclists were juicing from the mid-80s through the late 90s (when testing on a comprehensive scale was forced onto to Bikeing governing bodies. The correlations leep off the page at you.

The only thing stupid about all this BS is singling out Armstrong.

[Guest hitoallusa]

Can CSI do some toxicology analysis and prove his innocence? They seem to catch any crooks without any problem within an hour on TV.. What I really don't get is how can they pass the numerous tests then?

Hito, performance data for the Tour de France conclusively demonstrate that virtually all the top cyclists were juicing from the mid-80s through the late 90s (when testing on a comprehensive scale was forced onto to Bikeing governing bodies. The correlations leep off the page at you.

The only thing stupid about all this BS is singling out Armstrong.

[Guest EXPAT]

Also if he did test negative over and over again what is their evidence other than testimony of others who are trying to protect themselves? It all seems very odd to me.

[MsGuy]

1- He didn't always test negative. Some results were dropped for proceedural reasons.

2- Especially early on, the tests were so easy to bypass that one would be tempted to say that the Cyclist governing bodies were complicit in the juicing. Even since more sensitive and more comprehensive testing programs were put in place, it has been a game of leap frog between new ways of detecting drugs and ever newer and more clever ways of juicing. New testing protocols are immediately analysed for blind spots by very competant chemists.

For instance: if they are very careful with how, when and dosages in their testosterone regimen, baseball players can fly under the radar of the MLB joint drug screening program right now. Changing the testing protocol to close the known loophole would require a new agreement between the union and the owners and would involve considerable extra expense to the MLB . LOL, and who knows what unknown unknowns are lurking out there.

Professional sports involve huge sums of money and anywhere you find big bucks in play, you're sure to find lots of very bright people doing their damnest to game the system.

[ihpguy]

Does no one not remember the whole USPS scandal on the selling of the team's racing bikes for cash to pay for the whole doping program. There are more then ten witnesses who will testify to the blood doping. Including George Hincapie. Ten years ago the tests for EPO were so far behind the users that it made it simple to cheat. And if Lance was/is so innocent, what was he doing with Dr. Michele Ferrari as the chief MD for the teams. The more one reads about this, the more convincing is his guilt. He has claimed that he has never had a positive test.

However, he tested positive for a masking agent. Then he produced a backdate RX script for a corticosteroid cream for "saddle sores" ditto on some urine samples that somehow were not handled "correctly" so the positives were thrown out. And of course, when he was in the hospital waiting for the surgery for the testicular cancer, Frankie Andreu and his wife were in the hospital room when he recited to the surgeon the laundry list of drugs he had ingested in the 90's.

Some of the stories paint Lance as a real bully to others. Not the nice guy with the LiveStrong Foundation. AND...AND A BIG AND...if he gives up now, he doesn't have to appear in court when everyone is prepared to testify against him. He can keep on staying with the same old story of never testing positive, without mention of all of the illegal drugs he used as well as the bags and bags of transfused blood during each Tour de France.

[ihpguy]

Ms. Guy,

Lance Armstrong has not been singled out. He is the only one has kept on fighting the charges. Most of others have come clean. Not sure about Marco Pantani. He's dead. And Richard Virenque, crowned King of the Mountains, guilty as well. About the only ones who haven't been found guilty are the sprint points leaders.

If you want some real cynicism, someone can explain to me how Jamaica, a county of 3 million souls placed first, second and third in the 100 meters. Like FloJo(DEAD)and Marion Jones, if you wonder how it can be too good to be true, it is/it was.

I'm not great at cut and paste, so here is the link beside the list below.

Top Finishers of the Tour de France Tainted by Doping

Since 1998, more than a third of the top finishers of the Tour de France have admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs at some point in their careers or have been officially linked to doping. The grid below shows the original top-10 placements in each of the past 15 years. Riders pictured have either tested positive, admitted to doping or been sanctioned by an official cycling or antidoping agency. Cyclists whose sanctions were later overturned are not included. Related Article »

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/08/24/sports/top-finishers-of-the-tour-de-france-tainted-by-doping.html

[MsGuy]

Ms. Guy,

Lance Armstrong has not been singled out.

I stand corrected.

[Guest EXPAT]

It really is sad that this sport and others too but specifically this sport has become such a farce with all of the doping etc. It really negates the entire organization, races and sport in general doesn't it?

[Guest hitoallusa]

What... My MsGuy is a Ms. ? I always thought that it stands for Mississippi.. Anyways, that is all fine with me too. We can just be a lesbian couple then..

Well I decided to just cherish what he has done so far and decide not to think about the charges anymore. I hope he keep doing good works he has done for people in need.

[ihpguy]

What the USADA are accusing him of:

The anti-doping rule violations for which Mr. Armstrong is being sanctioned are:

(1) Use and/or attempted use of prohibited substances and/or methods including EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone, corticosteroids and masking agents.

(2) Possession of prohibited substances and/or methods including EPO, blood transfusions and related equipment (such as needles, blood bags, storage containers and other transfusion equipment and blood parameters measuring devices), testosterone, corticosteroids and masking agents.

(3) Trafficking of EPO, testosterone and corticosteroids.

(4) Administration and/or attempted administration to others of EPO, testosterone and cortisone.

(5) Assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, covering up and other complicity involving one or more anti-doping rule violations and/or attempted anti-doping rule violations.

[ihpguy]

What he was taking:

Erythropoietin (EPO),

also known as “E,” “Po,” “Edgar” or “Edgar Allen Poe,” among other names. EPO is used by athletes to increase the number of red blood cells in their circulatory system which are available to carry oxygen. … Even after the EPO urine test was developed and implemented in sport in late 2000 EPO was difficult to detect and the Respondents [Armstrong, a team director, team captain and team doctors] implemented a number of means to avoid detection of EPO use, including: micro-dosing (i.e., using smaller amounts of EPO to reduce the clearance time of the drug), intravenous injections (i.e., injecting the drug directly into the vein rather than subcutaneously to reduce clearance time), saline, plasma or glycerol infusions (described below) and various effort to avoid testing by drug testers at times that EPO might still be detectable in the riders’ urine. … Multiple riders with firsthand knowledge will testify that between 1998 and 2005 Armstrong personally used EPO and on multiple occasions distributed EPO to other riders.

Blood transfusions (a/k/a “blood doping”).

Blood transfusions generally involve the extraction of an athlete’s own blood pre-competition and re-infusion of that blood shortly before or during competition (e.g., in the evening or on a rest day in a multistage race) to increase the athlete’s oxygen carrying red blood cells. By increasing the number of circulating red blood cells, transfusions increase the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood and enhance endurance and recovery. No effective anti-doping test has yet been implemented to detect autologous transfusions (i.e., transfusions of an athlete’s own blood). … Multiple riders will testify that during the period 2000-2005 Armstrong used blood transfusions, was observed having blood re-infused, including during the Tour de France, and had blood doping equipment at his residence.

Testosterone.

Also known on the USPS and Discovery Channel cycling teams as “oil.” Testosterone is an anabolic agent and can increase muscle mass and strength. In smaller doses anabolic agents such as testosterone can promote muscle recovery from strenuous exercise and increase endurance. Andriol consists of testosterone undecanoate, a steroid which can be mixed with oil and taken orally. Taken in this way the drug can be absorbed into the lymphatic system without being transported to the liver, making the drug more effective and reducing the prospect of liver damage. Multiple riders who competed on the USPS and Discovery Channel teams from 1998 through 2007 have reported that Dr. Ferrari [an alleged co-conspirator] developed a method of mixing testosterone (i.e., andriol) with olive oil for oral administration. … USADA has eyewitness statements from multiple sources that Lance Armstrong used testosterone and administered the testosterone-olive oil mixture to himself and other riders.

Human Growth Hormone (hGH).

Human growth hormone is improperly used in sport to increase strength and lean muscle mass, to assist in weight loss and promote recovery. Multiple riders who competed on the USPS and Discovery Channel teams from 1998 through 2007 have reported to USADA that team director Johan Bruyneel, team trainer Jose Pepe Marti and team doctors Luis del Moral and Pedro Celaya provided human growth hormone to team members.

Corticosteroids (e.g., cortisone).

These drugs reduce inflammation, assist in recovery and can provide a burst of energy and create a temporary feeling of increased energy and well-being. Throughout the relevant time period, corticosteroids were improperly provided to cyclists by team doctors and trainers to increase energy and enhance performance. … USADA will also rely upon firsthand testimony from witnesses who were aware of Armstrong’s use of cortisone without medical authorization.

Saline and plasma infusions.

Throughout much of the relevant period the UCI [union Cycliste International] employed a blood monitoring program and would not permit riders to compete if the rider’s hematocrit (i.e., percentage of mature red blood cells) exceeded 50%. To avoid exceeding the 50% hematocrit threshold and to prevent detection of the rider’s EPO use and/or blood transfusions, Respondents used the prohibited technique of saline, plasma or glycerol infusions to mask their use of prohibited substances and/or methods. … USADA will also present testimony concerning infusions given to numbers USPS riders, including Lance Armstrong.

[ihpguy]

Why the proverbial "shit hit the fan"? And why now?

One reason is that Johan Bruyneel, team director for Lance at USPS and Discovery has been indicted and is fighting the charges. He has requested and will receive arbitrartion. So....most if not all of the witnesses in the Lance case will be the same ones testifying in the Bruyneel matter. Ditto a couple of the team doctors and trainer Pepi under Dr. Ferrari. All the testimony was going to come out against Bruyneel and the entire system of doping which was created to benefit Lance and the sponsors would finally be revealed. Or that is the assumption.

[JKane]

This all sounds like exactly what 60 minutes covered in-depth a little while ago...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nTTGGnw8ak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQZnBpoC2jc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=nRZeh4KEz9s

[ihpguy]

Thanks JKane. I don't get 60 Minutes where I'm at. Lance&Co can tear down Tyler but whatever Big George said to the Grand Jury would definitely be believed. And supposedly he was forced into testifying by his brother. They have a fairly successful clothing firm they need to defend and lying and being sent off to jail wouldn't be a good thing.